Khattak directs timely completion of water schemes

F.P. Report

PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pervez Khattak has strictly directed the Irrigation Department to continue implementing the plan of spurs construction along all the banks of rivers and nullahs passing through the fertile valleys of Peshawar, Charsadda, Nowshera and Swabi. He said, latest technology and scientific approach should be adopted for safeguarding the local population and precious lands from the damages and erosions of floods to the maximum extent.

He assured there would be no shortage of funds in this regard. He also directed to ensure the timely and quality completion of the water supply and drainage  schemes in the province. He also asked the physical status of all the schemes and directed the authorities to regularly monitor progress of work on schemes and ensure the transparent and judicious use of the available funds. He said he wanted clear progress on all developmental and public welfare schemes in the province.

He was chairing a review meeting at Chief Minister Secretariat Peshawar that was attended by Minister Irrigation Mehmood Khan, SE Irrigation Sahibzada Shabbir and other concerned officers. The meeting took stock of progress on irrigation schemes, construction of spurs and  embankment of rivers and nullahs gravity schemes, solar and non-solar projects all over the province.

Chief Minister directed to issue work orders of schemes immediately whose tenders have been already floated. He asked to clear the sites and issue tenders of schemes awaiting initiation of work. He said that MPAs were accountable to the masses and hence they should pay visits to the sites of developmental schemes and remove hurdles required for smooth execution of developmental and welfare schemes.

He asked the concerned government officials to fully cooperate with the public representatives in this regard and monitor the progress on developmental activities. He however, made clear that quality of works would never be compromised at any cost. He asked the authorities and contractors to ensure the timely completion of development schemes as per schedule.

He warned that strict action would be taken on delay or substandard work on developmental projects. He said that elements inflicting losses to the government exchequer were not friends of the masses.

Pervez Khattak said that smooth execution of work on developmental and welfare schemes have been ensured by the present government due to record legislation and hence delay tactics in timely completion of projects have become stories of the past. He said supremacy of merit and law has been ensured in all sectors and there was no room for any government official to indulge in corrupt practices or show lethargy in quick disposal of their duties.

Chief Minister also asked for completion of the plan of converting the irrigation tubewells to solar energy.  He directed to identify the bottlenecks and resolve them in time in execution of the solarization of all the irrigation and potable water tubewells.

He also asked to utilize the funds saved due to efficient use of the resources.  He regretted that people usually dispose of personal works of months in days and hours but did not show this gesture in official obligations. We have to change this mindset, he added.