LAHORE, July 6: After failing to attract any contractor, Wapda has decided to itself construct two small dams – Pelar and Garuk – in Balochistan.

According to Wapda officials, the authority now plans to split the projects in different components and engage local contractors for the execution of the same. Wapda and the consultant would provide logistic and technical support and monitor the construction.

They said that by awarding small contracts to local contractors, the authority had ensured that entire financial and subsequent multiplied benefits would remain within the two districts – Awaran and Kharan – where the dams were being built and which were the most under-developed areas of the province.

Wapda had invited tenders for both projects twice in 2009 and four times in 2010, but it received no response because of law and order situation in the area. In view of their significance for local population, Wapda chairman Shakil Durrani proposed that the authority would execute both projects through small contractors of the same districts.

Wapda has planned to depute a strong team of its engineers and consultants for technical and logistic supports in execution of the projects. Construction of the projects will be carried out by subdividing the mega projects into small components and awarding them to the local contractors.

This will not only help complete the projects on one hand, but also develop skills of the local contractors to participate for bigger projects in Pakistan in future on the other. The federal and provincial government of Balochistan and donor agencies will equally share the project cost.

The Pelar and Garuk dams are amongst those five small and medium dams, Wapda has planned to construct in Balochistan in line with the federal government's resolve to develop backward areas of the province. Naulong dam in Jhal Magsi and Hingol and Winder dams in Lasbela district are the other proposed projects.

These five projects will store 1.8 MAF of water to irrigate 316,000 acres through an efficient irrigation system. In addition, 6.3MW cheap hydel electricity will be generated to meet the requirement of the local population. The projects will also be a great source of employment generation in the far-flung areas, as more than 17,000 job opportunities will be created during construction phase and about 700 during operation phase.

Pelar dam site is located about 160 kilometres from Awaran town in Awaran district while Garuk dam is to be constructed some 47 kilometres south east of Kharan town in Kharan district.