MITHI - Former president and co-chairman of Pakistan People’s Party, Asif Ali Zardari has directed the Sindh government to complete construction of 750 RO plants in various villages of Tharparkar by June this year and thereafter every village should have a RO plant to meet the basic requirement of water of the people of the area.
He was addressing the inauguration ceremony of the Desalination Complex in Mithi in Tharparkar on Wednesday.
He said today was the most auspicious day in the history of Tharparkar as the Asia’s largest solar desalination plant complex had been completed by the energy department of the provincial government. The plant will provide 8 million litres per day of drinking water in addition to producing one mega watt of electricity, benefitting the people of Mithi city besides other 100 villages. He said the government was committed to providing basic necessities of life to the people of far-flung areas and asked the provincial government to complete the ongoing development projects within stipulated time-frame. Zardari also directed the provincial government to install more tube-wells and promote livestock business by developing institutional mechanisms including special loans and banking facilities for the purpose. He gave these directions during a meeting in the Darbar Hall in Mithi called to discuss the issues of Thar.
The meeting was attended by Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah, provincial ministers, MNAs, MPAs, chief secretary and senior officials of relevant departments and local administration. Zardari’s daughter Bakhtwar Bhutto Zardari was also present in the meeting. He called for establishment of desalination plants in other areas of district Tharparkar particularly Islamkot, Nangarparkar, Diplo and Dahli.
He said after the establishment of water plants, the people who were in the business of water supply through bowsers could shift to general transpiration of people and goods. He asked the Sindh government to assist the businessmen in relocating their businesses.
About corporate farming, he called for carrying out fresh survey and re-mapping of Thar with the assistance of local MNAs and MPAs to address the concerns of the people.
Later, talking to party MPs and workers, Zardari said the party was also aware of its national obligations towards the country and the people beyond partisan politics. He said the nation was passing through critical times and some difficult decisions had to be taken in the larger national interest. He said the party would keep a close watch that the new measures aimed at curbing militancy were neither misused nor allowed to become a permanent feature beyond the constitutionally stipulated time period.