LAHORE  -   Punjab Chief Minister Hamza Shehbaz has ordered the authorities concerned to ensure provision of water to tail-end areas of 19,000 canal outlets across the Punjab.

According to official sources here on Thursday, the CM was taking revolutionary measures for providing canal water to tail-end farmers and a mechanism had been prepared in this regard. Hamza Shehbaz said the Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB) would evolve a system for establishing telephonic connection with farmers. He said that the CM office cell would take feedback from farmers with regard to provision of water up to tail ends.

The CM said quick action would be taken in case water did not reach tail ends. The tail-end farmers thanked the chief minister for taking the farmer-friendly step.

It is to be noted here that the entire canal system of Punjab requires an overall 84,517 cusecs of water and it is facing 53 per cent water shortage. A spokesman for the Punjab Irrigation Department said this here on Thursday while briefing about the situation of water on canals and barrages. He said that there was a need of 21,500 cusecs water on Taunsa barrage as only 8,404 cusecs water was available at the barrage. 4,642 cusecs water was available at Panjnad barrage, facing water shortage of 68 per cent, he added. The spokesman said for Bahawalpur, Lower Bahawal Canal needed 5,062 cusecs water while it was being operated with 1,800 cusecs water.

He said that Lodhran, Mailsi canal was being operated with 1,962 cusecs water and facing water shortage of 56 per cent. Canals of Sulemanki barrage needed 13,300 cusecs water while only 6,506 cusecs water was available.

Islam barrage was facing water shortage of 45 per cent while balloki 36 per cent, he added.