PESHAWAR, March 6: The NWFP government has decided to implement Malakand-3 and Pehur Hydle power projects having a generation capacity of 81mw and 12mw, respectively, and has given a go-ahead signal to the SHYDO to complete the procedural process at the earliest.

This decision, besides others, was taken at the 12th meeting of the board of directors of the Sarhad Hydel Powers Development Organization and the first meeting of the NWFP Hydel Development Fund Board, held here with NWFP Governor Syed Iftikhar Hussain Shah in the chair.

The SHYDO meeting, attended by Minister for Works and Services and Irrigation and Powers Shamsul Mulk, Chief Secretary Shakil Durrani, Finance Secretary Wajid Rana, Powers and Irrigation Secretary Fazal Abbas Makin, Law Secretary Salim Khan, SHYDO MD Mohammad Younis Marwat and other officials concerned, also decided that 100mw electricity to be generated from both the projects would be transmitted and utilized by the province itself for the development of its industrial sector.

The Pehur project is estimated to cost Rs753 million while the Malakand-3 project would be completed at a cost of Rs7.6 billion.

The meeting approved the constitution of panel experts as well as a project team to monitor, evaluate and supervize the work on the Malakand-3 project.

The SHYDO was said to have already signed a MoU with the Frontier Works Organization to begin work for on the project.

The meeting approved a proposal for carrying out a feasible study on Chor Nullah, Spat Gah, the Kandiah River, the Kunhar River, the Swat River system, Keyhal, Sharmai and Koto, which are expected to generate about 4500mw electricity.

It advised the SHYDO to take step to approach the foreign donors for financing for the study. The meeting was informed that the SHYDO had already generated Rs3.247 billions for investment in its projects.

A proposal for leasing out 12 small hydel powers stations in different parts of Swat, Dir, and Chitral districts to the private sector was also approved at the meeting.

The authorities okayed the extension of Reshun Hydle Power Project which, on completion, would increase its production capacity from 2.8mw to 4.2mw. The SHYDO was authorized to upgrade the Shishi Hydel Power Project in Chitral.

The governor directed the authorities concerned to take practical measures to encourage investment by the private sector in the hydel power projects.

He asked them to make efforts to ascertain whether there was any possibility to establish an industrial estate in Malakand.

The governor directed them to complete the task much before the deadline. The SHYDO, he said, should make efforts for the best utilization of the resources placed its disposal. It must also look into the possibility of generating more financial resources from the private sector for materializing the projects, he added.