islamabad-Islamabad based journalists were briefed on successful completion of Japan International Cooperation Agency projects for improvement of water supply system and canals lining in Faisalabad. Talking to Journalists, Managing Director, Water and Sanitation Authority (WASA) Faisalabad, Faqeer Mohammad said that with JICA aid-in-grant of Rs1456.840 million, they have completed the replacement of pumping machinery at Chiniot and boosters pumping stations.

He said for improvement of water supply in Faisalabad, the JICA project was launched with an estimated cost of Rs 6433 million. The current demand of Faisalabad was 160 million gallons per day while WASA had the capability of providing 110 million gallons per day, he added.

The Journalists were informed that the water supply system of JICA with the help of 1400 kilometre pipeline facilitates around 113,000 consumers with provision of clean drinking water for domestic use with the lowest possible charges.

They urged the JICA officials to replicate the same model of water supply system in other major cities of the country for addressing the rising issue of water scarcity.

Chief Engineer of Faisalabad Irrigation Department, Rana Asif Mehmood said that the supply of water in short/dry trails had recorded an improvement of 69 to 100 percent with the completion of projects. He said that from 2002 to 2016 Japan provided soft loans of Rs 26 billion for various irrigation projects in Faisalabad. “The completion of the projects will have not been possible without the support of the donors”, he added.

Rana Asif Mehmood said that the Lower Chenab Canal (LCC) off-taking from Khanki Head Works located in Gujranwala district on river Chenab was constructed in 1892-98. He said that this canal had had two parts including LCC Main Line Upper and LCC Main Line Lower and was supplying irrigation water to 3.031 million acres of cultivable command area (CCA) through a network of branches, distributaries and minors.

                Chief Engineer of Faisalabad Irrigation Department said that phase-III of PISIP raising and strengthening of banks (87 KM), construction of BR bridges, side protection, construction of cross regulators, construction of new escape structures, construction of cattle bath stations, were completed. The lining of 452 KM canals and rehabilitation/up gradation of 602 KM of the canals system was also completed, he added.

                Asif Mehmood said, the objective of the project was to reduce seepage losses in the saline area and to improve conveyance efficiency, reliability and durability of the system, to provide irrigation water to the beneficiaries in a more sustainable and equitable manner and to reduce the system maintenance cost.

 Due to rehabilitation, Jhang Branch Upper canal, Jhang Branch lower canal and Bhowana branch water discharge has shown an increase of up to 29-49 percent, he added. He said that due to the completion of lining and rehabilitation the yields of various crops have recorded an increase of 137 to 147 percent.