A community event was organised by the Al Sadiq Desert Welfare Organisation to observe the World Water Day at the Derawar Fort on Friday.
Speaking at the event, Cholistan Water Action Committee president Abdul Razzaq Shah said some 1,100 tobas [rain water ponds] in Cholistan were filled with mud as a result of which the capacity of these ponds to store rain water had decreased substantially.
He said the government had issued Rs10 million for cleaning of 100 tobas in Cholistan but the Cholistan Development Authority had only managed to clean 65 of them.
He said the authority was responsible for cleaning the ponds annually to ensure adequate water supply in the area.
Rohi Farmers’ Council president Ameer Baig said a water supply pipeline in Derawar, built under the Pakistan Muslim League-Q government, had not been repaired since it sustained damage some years ago.
He also demanded that Dahri, Salaari, Khatdi and Derawar canals be provided a minimum of 250 cusecs water annually for irrigation.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 25th, 2013.