09 October 2004	Saturday	23 Shaban 1425

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ISLAMABAD, Oct 8: The Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) has informed the federal government that the law and order situation warranted 'foolproof security' at the Mirani Dam site in order to complete the Rs5.8 billion project by June, 2006.

Informed sources told Dawn here on Friday that Wapda officials had expressed concern over security arrangements at the Mirani Dam site. Balochistan Reserve Police of the Frontier Constabulary be directed to provide "security cover to contractors, consultants and project staff", they suggested.

So far 46 per cent and 33.22 per cent physical progress and financial progress, respectively, have been reported to the higher authorities about Mirani Dam. But the law and order situation was causing problems that might delay the commissioning of the project in time, the sources said.

Mirani Dam is located at Turbat district, Kech, Balochistan and is being built on River Dasht. A total of Rs1.9 billion, till July 30, 2004, had been spent by Wapda, the sponsoring agency of the Mirani Dam project.

In another development, Wapda has regretted before the higher authorities that the Rs31.4 billion National Drainage Programme (NDP), commenced in January 1998, could not be completed by December 2004, due to various reasons.

Wapda officials, therefore, have requested the extension of a year and assured that the project will be completed by December 2005. They told the higher authorities that the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has shown willingness to extend its loan up to August 2005. Earlier, the Japan Bank for International Construction (JBIC) had extended its loan by December 31, 2006.

The sources said President Gen Pervez Musharraf has approved the continuation of NDP project with a reduced cost and restructured scope of work. Provinces have been requested to prepare action plans and implementation schedules.

The revised Umbrella PC-1 of the NDP was discussed in the Central Working Development Party (CDWP) on June 24, 2004, but the minutes of the meeting were still awaited.

The CDWP has reportedly cleared the revised PC-1 for implementation up to Dec 31, 2005, subject to the minor corrections/clarifications by the NDC cell of Wapda.

The basic objective of the NDP is to restore sustainability of irrigated agriculture in an environmentally sound manner by minimization of the drainage surplus and evacuation of the same from the Indus Basic to the Sea.