Crackdown on canal water theft: Punjab Irrigation Dept lodges 200 FIRs, resulting in 63 arrests
LAHORE: Grappling with a crippling 22pc water shortage for the ongoing Rabi season, the Punjab Irrigation Department has lodged 200 first information reports (FIRs), resulting in arrest of 63 individuals, for water theft since mid-October, as part of a province-wide crackdown. On recent directives from the chief minister, the department’s field teams inspected 19,436 canal outlets since the…
Punjab's Irrigation Department has launched a province-wide crackdown on water theft, registering 200 FIRs and making 63 arrests since mid-October, amid a severe 22% water shortage for the Rabi season. In response to Chief Minister's directives, department field teams inspected 19,436 canal outlets during the current Rabi season which started on October 15.
Illegal practices like unauthorized canal cuts, illegal siphon installations, and tampering with water outlets are primarily responsible for the water shortage. Authorities have identified 1,311 tampered canal outlets, repairing 1,148 of them. They also detected 737 other offences which have been rectified.
The department has sent 715 legal notices to local police and imposed a total fine of Rs915,500 on those responsible for water pilfering. To ensure the success of the campaign, the department has implemented 24/7 watch-and-patrol, night operations, and mosque announcements to mobilize public against irrigation theft.
According to the Indus River System Authority, only 29.18 million acre feet (MAF) of water are available as compared to the 38 MAF requirement under the 1991 Water Accord. Consequently, Punjab's withdrawal share for the Rabi 2026-27 has been reduced to 15.564 MAF.
Out of the total FIRs registered, Bahawalpur irrigation zone has the highest number with 621 cases, followed by Faisalabad zone with 326 and Lahore with 121 cases. Sargodha has registered 50 FIRs, Bahawalpur has 44, and Multan zone has 33.
The department spokesperson stated that the FIRs were registered and arrests made on repeated offences, illegal widening of outlets, and installation of siphon pipes.
Written by urgent.news from Dawn - Pakistan's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
