Rs500m artificial lake planned

BAHAWALPUR, Sept 23: An artificial lake costing about Rs500 million will be developed along the left bank of the Sutlej near here. 

This was stated by adviser to chief minister MNA Baleeghur Rehman at a function here on Wednesday. 

According to him, the lake project is aimed at providing recreational facilities to the local population and raising the underground water level for drinking and cultivation. 

He said the Punjab government was taking measures for starting construction work which will be supervised by Bahawalpur zone irrigation chief engineer Ghulam Husain Qadri. 

After the Indus Basin Treaty signed with India by the then president Ayub Khan, the Sutlej dried up, rendering the land barren. The underground water level went further deep with deposits of arsenic injurious to human consumption. The proposed lake is likely to overcome these problems. 

PROTEST: Local journalists under the auspices of the Bahawalpur Union of Journalists (BUJ) Barna group and the Joint Action Committee held a demonstration outside the Bahawalpur Press Club on Eid day in protest against what they said registration of a false criminal case against their colleagues. 

The protesters, led by BUJ President Amin Abbasi, marched along Old Campus Road and gathered in front of RPO’s residence on Circular Road. Later they marched up to Farid Gate, where the office-bearers demanded withdrawal of case against journalists and the arrest of doctors who allegedly manhandled private TV crew.