LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar has directed the authorities concerned to launch an indiscriminate crackdown on the canal water thieves.

He issued instructions to the Irrigation Department in this regard, says a handout issued here on Saturday.

The CM said canal water theft was a punishable crime and people involved in this crime deserve no leniency.

Police and the administration at division and district level should take more effective measures to make the campaign against water theft successful, he added.

He said that a report regarding an action against the canal water theft should be submitted to the chief minister office.

Until now, action had been taken in 2,995 incidents of water theft and 1188 FIRs had been registered against those involved in water theft. Some 381 people had been arrested on the allegations of canal water theft.