LAHORE: The Pakistan Water and Power Development Authority plans to launch civil work on the two major hydropower projects -- 4,500MW Diamer Basha Dam and Mohmand Dam -- next year as various preparatory and preliminary jobs related to staff colony, model village, detailed designing, tenders etc are in progress on fast pace.

“We have also completed recently the Phase-I of Kachhi Canal, a much-needed project for development of irrigated agriculture in Dera Bugti, Balochistan,” Wapda Chairman Lt-Gen retired Muzammil Hussain said while speaking to a delegation of the National Security and War Course of National Security College (Islamabad). The delegation was headed by the National Security College Commandant Maj-Gen Khalid Zia.

The roller compacted concrete (RCC) Basha dam project is located on Indus River, about 315 km upstream Tarbela Dam, 165 km downstream Gilgit and 40km downstream of Chilas.

As per July 2009 PC-1, the project was supposed to commence in July 2009 and completed in June 2010, but it couldn’t be started to date due to various reasons including provision of adequate funds, delay in land acquisition, local issues etc. Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif had approved a financing plan last year and ordered the then federal secretary for water and power to start various works for the dam before the end of 2017.

The Wapda chairman said the national water policy was expected to be finalised by the Council of Common Interests in next couple of months.

Published in Dawn, October 21st, 2017