BAHAWALPUR: A sewerage master plan costing over Rs 3 billion for the city is in the works.

Divisional Commissioner Raja Jahangir Anwar told Dawn the city’s underground sewerage system is over 40 years old and since its laying there has been a three-time increase in population.

The sewage generated by the Bahawal Victoria Hospital (BVH) and its residential colony make the task of civic agencies managing the system more difficult.

He said most of the under-ground pipelines had either been damaged or chocked.

“To overcome the people’s miseries, particularly in monsoon, the divisional administration has decided to finalise a master plan for the walled city and the housing colonies spread in its suburbs, including Satellite Town and Tibba Badar Sher,” the commissioner said.

To draw the master plan, the divisional administration has acquired the services of experts from Lahore and other cities.

He said after after the finalisation of the master plan, the Punjab government would be approached to allocate funds which might come in phases.

He was sure that with the implementation of the new master plan, the citizens could be relieved of the agony of choking of sewerage lines.

He said the Islami Colony sewerage issue was being tackled on an emergency basis and hoped it could be fixed in due course of time.

CLASH: Six women of two rival groups were injured, with three of them critical, in a clash between two rival groups at Adda Shahnal in Lodhran district over a land dispute.

REVENUE ISSUES: Bahawalpur Divisional Commissioner Raja Jahnagir Anwar, Deputy Commissioner Zahid Pervaiz Warraich, Lodhran Deputy Commissioner Babar Rehman Warraich and assistant commissioners (ACs) of five tehsils in the district disposed of several applications regarding resolution of revenue issues at their open courts at their respective offices on Saturday.

All staff members of the revenue offices were present at the open courts to solve people’s problems.

Published in Dawn, October 2nd, 2022