Irrigation sector includes 38 acres of agricultural land on directions of Ombudsman Punjab

LAHORE: The office of Ombudsman Punjab has solved 25 years old unresolved issue of a resident of Nankana Sahib district by including 38 acres of Agri land into the canal command area of the irrigation department. Moreover, the irrigation department has also started disciplinary action against those responsible for the inordinate delay and show cause notices have been issued to them.

According to details, Muhammad Wajih Uddin of Chak No. 36 RB Sangla Hill tehsil of Nankana Sahib complained to the office of Ombudsman Punjab that divisional canal officer, Hafizabad division, Faisalabad approved the inclusion of 38 acres of Agri land into CCA upon an application submitted by his late father and forwarded the case to superintending engineer, west circle, Faisalabad who asked the divisional canal officer to inspect the site to process the case. However, the matter was delayed. Meanwhile, the water rate was regularly paid and co-sharers of the outlet had no objection to their warabandi. Hence, the inclusion of said land into the CCA be confirmed, he demanded.

The applicant further stated that during the course of proceedings, the departmental appeal against the initial order of the office of Ombudsman Punjab before Governor Punjab was rejected in 2014 but no headway was made by the irrigation department to redress the complaint.

Taking cognisance of the situation, the ombudsman office issued the final direction to the secretary of the provincial irrigation department to redress the complainant; the identity of officials responsible for delay and initiation of departmental action against them. In compliance with the directions of the ombudsman office, the irrigation department has included 38 acres of agricultural land of the applicant into the canal command area of the irrigation department. It has also issued show-cause notices to the officials responsible for inordinate delay.

The applicant Muhammad Wajih Uddin has thanked Ombudsman Punjab Maj (r) Azam Suleman Khan for amicably resolving his longstanding issue.