BAHAWALNAGAR
Three water thieves were arrested red handed as they were engaged in damaging Sidiqia Canal for water theft in the limits of Ghumandpur police.
According to irrigation officials, Khadim Hussain, Saiful Malook and Muzaffar Iqbal were cutting the Sadiqia canal’s mud lining to turn water flow towards their fields. However, the canal officials were alerted by someone. They rushed to the spot, caught and then handed over them to the police.
The water theft in this border area had become order of day, consequently frequent breaches had occurred. Only a few months, a big breach in the same canal and area was occurred, consequent upon that breach, EXEN and SDO Sadiqia canal had been suspended by the irrigation authorities.
LOOT RECOVERED: District police recovered stolen and robbed articles worth Rs14 million including cash, ornaments, vehicles and other valuables during last two months, a police official said.
Regional Police Officer Ehsan Sadiq lauded the Bahawalnagar police’s performance. He said that 6 hardened criminal were killed during last two months; they were involved in 200 criminal activities including murder, robbery and street crimes.
The RPO and the DPO of Bahawalnagar distributed cash prizes and appreciation certificates to the best performers.
Canal breach damages crops: More than 100 feet-wide breach inundated crops standing over several hundreds of acres in Chishtian the other day. According to irrigation department, the breach occurred in Murad Canal at Burji No Rd 80, 81 right near Chak 172/M (B). They said that water was released into the canal after annual closure since December 29, 2015.
Earlier in December last year, a breach had also occurred in the canal and several hundreds of acres land was submerged in its water. Farmers of the area feared that the breach might affect standing wheat crop over a vast area.
The breach could not be plugged till filing of this report. When contacted the irrigation officials did not respond to repeated calls.