KARACHI: The National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Water Resources has proposed to make Naulong and Chirrah dams part of the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) on a priority basis.

The committee presented these suggestions in its meeting here on Monday held at the Sindh Secretariat, presided over by committee chairman MNA Nawab Mohammad Yousaf Talpur.

It was informed that Naulong dam project was started in 2009, but due to the insufficient funds provided by the government, the contractor abandoned it and since then the construction had been adjourned.

The committee took serious notice of it and ordered to add the Naulong dam into the PSDP on priority basis.

It was also informed that the project of Chirrah dam was of much importance to provide water to Rawalpindi and Islamabad. The non-construction of Chirrah dam could result in severe crises of water in Rawalpindi and Islamabad in future, it was added.

The committee was told that the Chirrah dam was a combined project of the CDA and Punjab government for which both would provide funds. But currently the Punjab government was reluctant to release funds, it was added. The standing committee directed that the government should construct Chirrah dam on priority and provide funds for it. If the Punjab government was interested in the plan, it should be built jointly and if not, the federal government would construct it for the residents of Islamabad.

It constituted a sub-committee to monitor progress on the two projects and submit a report to the standing committee.

Published in Dawn, April 13th, 2021