LAHORE - Punjab Irrigation Minister Mohsin Leghari has stressed a need for exploring the potential of floodwater coming from the hill torrents in DG Khan Division.
“Proper management of hill torrents in south Punjab can be our answer to persistent water shortage in the irrigation system,” he said while addressing a seminar on hill torrents management at Ghazi University organized by Punjab Irrigation Department.
The minister informed the participants that there were over 200 hill torrents in DG Khan, Rajanpur and Mianwali districts and their potential remained untapped since years.
“Every year these torrents wreak havoc in the monsoon season causing significant damage to livestock and property in the region, and at the same time, the people face water shortages in the dry season”, Leghari observed, adding that harnessing the water from these hill torrents through a number of small dams could easily solve the issues of flash floods and water shortages in the area.
The seminar was attended by member of the academia water, livestock and agriculture experts and local farmers.
Water experts called for introducing an effective water-shed management and conjunctive use of surface and groundwater to overcome the prevailing water shortage in the province.
Punjab Irrigation Department representatives informed the farmers of the steps taken by the department to rehabilitate the irrigation system in the region.
