BAHAWALPUR, May 5: Around 15 to 20 per cent canal water shortage is expected in the coming kharif season in Bahawalpur irrigation zone owing to a drop in the water level at Mangla and Tarbela dams.
This was stated by Bahawalpur zone chief engineer Jaffer Kabir Ansari while talking to journalists here on Friday.
He said the shortage could be compensated after June 15 while efforts would be made to provide water to cultivators according to their requirement.
The chief engineer was confident that water levels at both the dams would increase with the melting of snow in the catchment areas by the mid of June. Presently, he said the water level at Mangla and Tarbela dams
was only 62 feet and 10 feet, respectively.
Despite these constraints, he said the water had been released in canals of the Bahawalpur zone. Abbasia Link canal had been released 3,000 cusecs of water, Abbasia Canal 900 cusecs, Sadiqia Canal 4,233 cusecs, Fordwah 1,600 cusecs, Ahmedpur Canal 1,225 cusecs, Desert Branch 2,500 cusecs, Lal Sohanra Canal 3,336 cusecs and Lower Bahawalpur Canal 4,232 cusecs.
He said that effective steps would be taken to provide water at tail-ends in the zone.
PROTEST CAMP: The PPP organised a protest camp against the price hike, unemployment, poverty and lawlessness in the country at Fowwara Chowk here on Friday.
District president Riaz Dahar, city president Shakir Mirza, information secretary Salim Bhatti, women wing president Begum Sajida Malik were prominent among the participants.
Speaking on the occasion, PPP leaders reiterated that the party would continue its struggle for the real democracy in the country.
STADIUM: District Nazim Tariq Cheema on Friday unveiled a plaque for the construction of a hockey stadium of international standard at a cost of about Rs70 million.
The hockey stadium, to be completed within a year, will have an astroturf.
Speaking on the occasion, the district nazim renamed the stadium after former Olympian Motiullah Khan. He also announced an additional grant of Rs20 million for the stadium.