07 October 2004	Thursday	21 Shaban 1425

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ISLAMABAD, Oct 6: The Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) has sought the support of the army to protect its Rs31.2 billion Kachhi Canal project said to be facing subversion threat.

According to informed sources, the Commandant of the Border Military Police has assured Wapda to arrange personnel of the Engineering Corps (Army) for clearing mines, laid in alignment of Kachhi Canal KC-5 by subversive elements in the Mazari tribal area of District Rajanpur.

Wapda officials have complained that Baloch Regiment police (BRP) platoon deployed by the Balochistan government for security of Wapda staff have no logistics. The sources said that Wapda was of the view that unless the security of the staff of the organization was ensured and mines laid by subversive elements removed, it would be difficult for Wapda to complete the project by June, 2008.

The project is located in Rajanpur, Punjab, and Dera Bugti, Niasirabad, Bolan, Jhal Magsi District of Balochistan. The sources said that Wapda officials also wanted uninterrupted funds for the project but they were more concerned about the security of the project and the staff working there.

Recent attacks on gas installations have reportedly forced Wapda officials to seek more active support specially from the army for its various projects located in Punjab and Balochistan.

So far 4 per cent and 4.03 per cent physical progress and financial progress, respectively, has been reported to the higher authorities about the Kachhi Canal Project. Under the programme, 713,000 acres of land will be irrigated and Balochistan will get the Indus water through an independent canal from Taunsa Barrage.

Regulators have been installed at Taunsa Barrage having the main canal about 500 kilometres (300km lined canal in Punjab and 200 km unlined in Balochistan). The project will have 2000-kilometre-long distribution system.

In its latest report, Wapda has informed the President's Secretariat that three major surface water schemes - Chotiari Reservoir Project, Chashma Right Bank Irrigation Project and Pehru High Level Canal Project - have been completed.

The Ghazi Brotha Hydropower Project with a generation capacity of 1450MW of electricity is functioning and its all five units are in operation now. Likewise, 18 million acres of land has been reclaimed from water logging and salinity in the four provinces for which 15,000 tube wells have been installed and 12,000 kilometres of surface and 13,000 kilometres of tiled drains have been constructed in the waterlogged areas.