LAHORE, May 9: Wapda has clarified a news report (May 6) in which the six sacked geologists, who were employed on the feasibility study of the Basha Dam project, alleged that the feasibility work had been assigned to a multinational firm.

According to the clarification, as a policy, the Water and Power Development Authority prefers employing the locals for its projects.

Around 25 local people, including the six geologists, were employed on the project. With the fielding of the consultants in the near future, more local people would be employed. The geologists were employed on daily wages and after the completion of the work, their services were not required any more.

The utility says that the consultancy has not been awarded to a multinational firm but to a joint venture of Pakistani firms, led by NESPAK with ACE, BARQAB, NDC, Pakistan Engineering Services etc. Out of 1,892 man months, 1,852 are with Pakistani firms and only 40 man months are for foreign experts.

The consultancy cost is Rs350 million and not Rs380 million, while power generation capacity of the project is 3,360MW and not 3,600MW as was reported. The tentative cost is around Rs300 billion as against the reported figure of Rs800 billion.