BAHAWALPUR, June 11: At least 70,000 acres of Cholistan’s stretched area in the jurisdiction of Rahim Yar Khan will be irrigated with the restoration of Abbasia Link Canal project originating from the Punjab headworks.

It is learnt on Tuesday Punjab Governor Lt-Gen Khalid Maqbool (retired) had during his recent visit to Bahawalpur ordered restoration of the canal project.

A component of Scarp VI, Wapda had started the construction of the canal in 1982. However, the project halted halfway due to unavailability of supplies for the projected enhanced water allowance.

When contacted, Bahawalpur zone irrigation Chief Engineer Osman Akram told Dawn the transfer of this project by Wapda was under way and it was now committed to pay the Punjab government the cost of abandoned work. He said after the transfer of project to the irrigation department, a survey in collaboration with Wapda would be carried out to assess the left over work.

Mr Akram said all the four feeders leading to Cholistan areas from the desert branch canal were currently flowing with full capacity after the release of 250 cusecs of water from the Punjab share.

SHOT DEAD: An assistant sub-inspector of police shot dead his two daughters in Chak 90-DB near Yazman, some 30km away from here, on Tuesday.

ASI Muhammad Hanif, posted at the Derawar police station, Cholistan, was suspicious of the character of his daughters — Abida, 17, and Nazia, 16.

Yazman police have arrested the accused and are investigating.

PROCURED: About 88 per cent wheat has been procured in the district, a food official claimed on Tuesday.

He said the department had so far purchased 1.7 million bags of wheat out of the target of 1.9 million.

The food department had adequate stocks of gunny bags to be given to interested growers, he added.