Rs15m released for Nullah Leh desilting

Rawalpindi
The Punjab government has released Rs15 million out of Rs30 million to Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) for completion of the last phase of Nullah Leh Project, which includes dredging and desilting.
This was stated by Wasa Managing Director Raja Shaukat Mahmood while talking to journalists here on Tuesday.
Giving a briefing on the project, Raja Shaukat Mahmood said that the Punjab government some three years ago had allocated funds worth Rs92 million for work on the Nullah Leh project. After release of Rs62 million, Wasa had carried out work on three phases over years. Due to work on Nullah Leh project, despite heavy rains during the past three years in monsoon, Nullah Leh played no havoc as rainwater did not swell to the danger level. While last year, heavy rains in monsoon season had caused disaster in different parts of the country, he said.
However, areas based around Leh remained safe except for a few low-lying areas which fall in the inner parts of the city. However, low lying areas like Dhoke Chiraghdin, Chamanzar Colony, Jehangir Road, Arya Mohallah etc do not fall in the parameters of Wasa. It belongs to civic bodies like solid waste management which has to lift garbage and other wastage from the Nullah Leh.
Similarly, in the previous three phases on dredging and desilting of Nullah Leh, Wasa had done work in Pirwadhai, Khayaban-e-Sir Syed, New Katarian, Gawalmandi, Liaquat Bagh channel etc. All these areas remained safe during monsoon season, he said.
Now under the fourth phase in which Wasa has already initiated work Wasa in Dhoke Najju would desilt the Leh which include clearing of blockade of water caused to due presence of garbage and other wastages in Leh. Besides cleaning, Wasa lifts the garbage and wastages. All the work on the last phase would be over before the start of the Monsoon season.
Work on 11 channels connecting the main channel of Nullah Leh would be cleaned and the desilting work of it would commence in April this year and would be over by June. During work on fourth phase the Punjab government would be releasing remaining Rs15 million against fund for the project.
At the same time, he appealed to the residents residing in the inner localities not to throw their household wastages which also include polythene bags in small Leh channels as it choke them and hinder flow of water which result in flooding in their areas.