As many as 116 state-of-the-art water filtration plants have been installed in Lodhran, Hasilpur, Dunyapur, Khanpur and Minchinabad in Bahawalpur Region under Khadim-e-Punjab Saaf Pani Program. These filtration plants are providing safe drinking water to more than 350,000 local residents.
These water filtration plants have been installed by Punjab Saaf Pani Company – South (PSPC-South) at easy-to-access places in villages of the abovementioned tehsils for the benefit of the local communities.
As revealed in various survey reports, underground potable water in villages of abovementioned tehsils had become contaminated and contained multiple pollutants, which had an ill effect on the health of the locals. They had fallen victim to various water-borne diseases, which were taking the toll in the form health expenditure.
Meanwhile, PSPC – South has launched a robust campaign in these tehsils to create awareness about the benefits of the safe drinking water and hazards of consumption of contaminated water among local communities in above-said tehsils. As a part of this awareness campaign, 15,000 jerry cans have been distributed among local communities in collaboration with the UNICEF.
Lady Health Workers (LHWs) and Health Nutrition and Supervisors in these areas have also been taken on board through District Health and Education Departments to promote hygiene practices and consumption of filtered water among rural communities. Similarly, radio Pakistan network (FM 101 and Medium Wave Bahawalpur/Multan) in Bahawalpur region is also being utilised to spread this message among the rural population.
The existing water quality is not fit for the human consumption in majority regions of the rural Punjab province. Those who remain impacted by this lack of safe drinking water are often the most vulnerable groups in populations including women and other marginalised communities.
Realising the gravity of the situation, the Punjab government has launched Khadim-e-Punjab Saaf Pani Program not only to protect water quality but also to make it available to those who lack access in rural areas of the province.
Khadim-e-Punjab Saaf Pani Program is a mega project, which will cover 137 tehsils to provide basic necessity of life to over 55 million people in rural areas.
