LAHORE: The irrigation department has decided to speed up its operation against water theft as it has so far received over 25,000 reports about the menace during the ongoing year from across the province.
“We’ve received at least 25,709 reports of water theft since January and have decided to speed up the anti-theft action by activating our toll free number too,” Irrigation Minister Mohsin Leghari told a press conference here on Wednesday.
He said that latest technology like drones and android apps would also be introduced to check the menace that robs tail-end farmers of their due water share and the department of water rate (abiana).
He said a draft was also under preparation to amend the relevant law(s) for blocking bail of those found guilty of water theft.
Sharing data with the media, Mr Leghari said that most of the complaints were received from Bahawalpur, Dera Ghazi Khan, Multan and Lahore circles of the irrigation department.
At least 10,296 water theft cases had been reported only from Bahawalnagar district alone, he revealed.
According to him, around 1,947 cases were formally got registered with the relevant police stations on the complaints while 36 accused were arrested, though almost all of them were bailed out by various courts.
The minister said that the department had been asked to publicise the toll free number (0800-11333) through information boards along major roads, canals and in irrigation offices to seek help of farmers and general public in checking water theft.
He told a questioner that a comprehensive water policy had been prepared and its draft would soon be tabled before the provincial cabinet for approval. He said water management would be given a legal cover through the Punjab Water Act the draft of which had also been prepared.
Meanwhile, the Punjab Association of Government Engineers took out a rally here to press the government grant them technical allowance.
Participants of the rally, including women, marched from the irrigation offices on Library Road up to Charing Cross on The Mall.
Published in Dawn, November 15th, 2018