SWABI, Dec 29: Wapda has sanctioned Rs15 million for provision of natural gas to the Right Bank colony and River View colony of the Tarbela dam. The provision of gas was a longstanding demand of the residential colonies.

Four years back when the supply line of gas reached the main entrance gate of the Tarbela dam it was delayed due to officials’ indifference.

At that time the estimated cost of the project was Rs10 million which now reached Rs15 million and further delay could make it more costly, sources said.

All the official work and documentation with the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines has already been completed.

Officials said the project might be the fastest one and the Tarbela dam authorities want that it should be completed till July or August 2007.

They said that the provision of natural gas to the residential colonies would achieve two objectives: deforestation of the mountains near the Tarbela dam lake would be stopped because Wapda employees had been burning the wood for the fuel purpose.

Another objective is reducing the consumption of electricity in residential colonies, sources said.

“We want to achieve the two objectives immediately and for that reason we have taken great interest in the provision of natural gas,” said an official.

“The lying of natural gas pipeline will start in the Right Bank colony in January 2007 and within six or seven months the whole residential area would get the gas supply like the other residential areas”, sources said.

The official said the supply line had already reached to the GIK institute and the SNGPL would face no difficulty in the provision of gas to the area.