By Muhammad Luqman
It took long 15 years for irrigation water to reach the arable lands of Dera Bugti of Pakistan’s South-Western province of Balochistan. With the opening of Kachhi Canal project by Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, water-starved Balochistan is all set to have enough water for agricultural activities.
The Kachhi Canal, drawing water from river Indus , another 72000 acres of virgin land in Dera Bugti district of Balochistan province will come under plough.
Kachhi Canal project, started 15 years ago, was almost an abandoned project owing to certain reasons, gross cost overrun and long delays being the major contributing factors. However, the project was revitalized due to active support of the incumbent Federal Government and commitment of WAPDA team, claim WAPDA officials.
Kachhi Canal project is of immense importance for development of water infrastructure and irrigated agriculture in Balochistan. It has been completed at a cost of about Rs. 80 billion. The 363-Kilometer long main canal (out of which 351-Kilometer is lined canal) takes off from Taunsa Barrage in Muzaffar Garh district of Punjab province and ends at Dera Bugti district in Balochistan province. Discharge capacity of the main canal is 6000 cusecs. As many as 914 structures have been constructed at or over the main canal including head and cross regulators, road and railways bridges, cross drainage and escape structures and watercourse crossings.
Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of Kacchi canal at Sui in Dera Bugti district, Prime Minister Abbasi hoped that the canal would change the lives of the people of Balochistan.
“Today, Nawaz Sharif should have been here,” he said, adding that the former premier had been involved in every phase of the project.
