DERA ISMAIL KHAN, Sept 20: Wapda Chairman Zulfiqar Ali Khan has said that the construction of Kalabagh and Bhasha dams is essential for the development of the country.

He said this during a visit to the site for the Gomal Zam dam on Friday to review the pace of work.

Gen Zulfiqar went round of the project and told the accompanying journalists that the Gomal Zam dam would irrigate 162,000 acres and bring prosperity to the area.

He also appreciated the area people for offering their land for the construction of the dam.

About 22,000 acres of land could not be cultivated due to shortage of water and the country needed new water reservoirs to overcome the problem, the Wapda chief said.

There were only four to five places in the country where a dam could be constructed, he said. Kalabagh dam, he said, was the need of the hour but some people were creating obstacles for their personal interests and misguiding the people.

“I want to inform the people that country would not suffer any loss as some elements are propagating,” the Wapda chairman said and added that the people should consider this issue with level-headedness and decide in the larger interest of the country.

He said work on the Kalabagh dam would start in 2004 and would be completed in 2010.

Gen Zulfiqar expressed satisfaction over the work of the company and said construction work on the Gomal Zam dam was running accurately and timely.

On this occasion, the Wapda chairman was briefed about the plan and progress of the Gomal Zam dam project. He was informed that approximately half of the work had been completed.

The company was trying to complete the project within the scheduled time. The Wapda chairman was also informed that 13 distributaries and a main canal from the Gomal Zam dam would provide water to the agriculture lands.

Project Manager Gomal Zam dam and Managing Director was accompanying the Wapda chairman on the occasion.—APP