The irrigation department has recovered over Rs 24 million water rates (Abiana) from growers during the Rabbi season 2014-15.
According to official sources, teams recovered water rates over Rs 24 million from growers in four districts of the Multan zone. Over Rs 1.8 million water rates were recovered from Multan, Rs 1 million from Lodhran, over Rs 13 million from Vehari and over Rs 7.6 million from Pak Pattan during the Rabi season 2014-15 from July to Oct-2015.
Meanwhile, Rs 86,400 water charges (tawan) was also recovered from three districts, including Rs 16,300 from Multan, Rs 35,700 from Lodhran and Rs 34,300 from Pak Pattan while no recovery was reported from Vehari during the Rabbi season 2014-15.
The irrigation teams continued raids to control water pilferage across the region to provide water to tail-end growers properly, the sources concluded.