LAHORE, June 15: Wapda Chairman Tariq Hamid has denied terming Bhasha dam "best choice" for the country. He was addressing a press conference here on Tuesday.

In Monday's briefing to the Parliamentary Committee on Water Resources, the authority had given presentation on four dams and three canals.

What it did maintain in its briefing was that roller compact technology, which would be used in Bhasha dam, was the best of all available options. "This might have created an impression in the mind of Mr Nisar Memon who used it for the dam itself.

Otherwise, the authority is not in a position to say which dam is better and which is not," he said. The authority, in its briefing, had maintained that both Kalabagh and Bhasha dams were technically feasible and it was up to government to make the choice.

Mr Hamid claimed that the country no more had surplus electricity as generally believed. During the last two months, average sale increase went up by 13 per cent against six per cent annual average.

It has not only put extra pressure on the distribution system but also exhausted all generation resources. Now, a quantum leap was required as far as power generation is concerned."

About the reduction in tariff, the chairman said that it would cost the authority Rs4 billion. He told a questioner that the use of gas in thermal power plants had saved Wapda Rs8 billion last year. This would now be passed on to consumers in shape of reduced tariff.