Quetta Greater Water Plan : Facts and Figures
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QUETTA: (APP) The services of well-reputed international organizations and expert engineering organizations would be obtained to prepare comprehensive feasibility report on Quetta Greater Water Plan to meet requirement of water in the provincial capital.
This was said in a post budget press conference which was jointly addressed by Provincial Ministers- Sheikh Jaffar Khan Mandokhel, Dr. Hamid Khan Achakzai and Sardar Aslam Bezinjo, Additional Chief Secretary (Planning and Development), Muhammad Daud Baraich and Finance Secretary, Cap. (retd) Akbar Hussain Durrani, here on Monday evening.
The Additional Chief Secretary said "The population of Quetta city is exceeding three million and demand for water is increasing due to surge in population number."
He said that Quetta has been getting 28 million gallons of water per day while the city has been facing shortfall of 17 million gallons of water per day.
After next 10 years, the demand for water in Quetta will reach to number of 75 million gallons of water because of increase in population, he said, adding that presently, we had been extracting fossil water by tube-wells.
He further said that underground water level in Quetta had dropped down to 2000 feet deep.
He said that after the completion of China-Pak Economic Corridor (CPEC), Balochistan would be connected with rest of the world and added that it was need of hour to immediate resolve major issues of Quetta on war footing basis including water shortage, solid waste management, traffic management and pollution control.
He said that Mangi Dam would not be able to fulfill total demand of water in Quetta. He said the incumbent government had planned to supply water to Quetta from Pat Feeder Canal through a long water pipeline.
We are going to avail services of international organizations and well-reputed engineering organizations for preparing comprehensive feasibility report on this scheme which would include engineering designs, he said.
Provincial Minister, Sheikh Jaffar Mandokhel said that in past, Quetta was given billions of rupees for water plan, adding that but the scheme was not implemented in letter and spirit.
He said that the government had increased funds of Public Sector Development Program (PSDP) 2016-17 up to Rs 71 billion, adding that the funds allocated for districts would also help in resolving issues pertaining to education, health and water supply.
Provincial Minister, Dr. Hamid Khan Achakzai said there was no truth in media news that Army officials participated in preparation of Balochistan Budget 2016-17.
Army officers attended a meeting on law and order situation of Mekran Division and Awaran district which was presided over by Chief Minister Balochistan and a wrong perception was taken from the picture of the meeting published in newspapers, he said.
He said the incumbent government had been paying special attention towards education and health sectors. “Governor Balochistan, Muhammad Khan Achakzai has taken notice of one room school and under his instruction, all new primary schools being constructed with three rooms, boundary wall and toilet, he said.
Provincial Minister, Sardar Aslam Bezinjo said the federal government should provide financial assistance to boost agricultural economy of Balochistan.
We need help of the federal government for bringing further improvement in agriculture sector, he said.
Secretary Finance said that additional funds were allocated in Balochistan Fiscal Budget 2016-17 for education and health sectors.We allocated over Rs 28 billion for education sector for year 2016-17 in comparison with Rs 26 billion of last year and over Rs 17 billion in comparison with Rs 15 billion of fiscal year 2015-16, he said.
He said there was wrong perception about surrender of development funds.
The funds surrendered infact went back to the government and there was no waste of development funds, he said.
