Lahore: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday directed the provincial irrigation secretary to seek suggestions from the relevant stakeholders on the draft of Punjab Water Act 2019, a news source reported.
Assistant Advocate Rai Shahid Saleem informed the court that the chief secretary had tasked a committee with reviewing said draft. The committee members later forwarded the draft to the provincial cabinet which subsequently approved it.
In response, Justice Hassan said that a water policy is needed to address wastage of groundwater in the province. He added that efforts must be made to create a water-secure Pakistan.
He directed the secretary to seek suggestions from concerned citizens, the Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA), the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), cooperative housing societies, and fertiliser companies.
Moreover, the judge directed the law officer to provide copies of the Punjab Water Policy 2018 and draft of Punjab Water Act 2019 to the petitioners and all stakeholders within two days.
