RAWALPINDI, Jan 23: A technical survey for construction of the proposed Chirah Dam on Sawan River's downstream will be initiated by Nespak on Saturday.

The decision to this effect was taken on Thursday during a meeting of the standing committee for the Asian Development Bank- funded Rawalpindi Environmental Improvement Project (REIP), official sources told Dawn.

The survey was scheduled to start on Friday, but due to rain, the experts could not visit the site, the sources said. Safdar Ali Cheema, technical adviser of the housing and planning department, presided over the meeting. Officials of the Rawalpindi Development Authority, the Water and Sanitation Agency, Small Dams Organization, Tehsil Municipal Administration and Nespak were present on the occasion.

The ongoing developments regarding the implementation of the REIP as well as the hindrances in its way were also discussed during the meeting. Chirah Dam will be constructed some two kilometres from Lehtrar Road bridge, the sources said. According to the initial estimations, the dam would provide 15 million gallon per day of treated water for Wasa's consumers after the construction of a treatment plant near the site.

Chirah Dam is one of the three proposed dams, the construction of which has been termed unavoidable by experts if Wasa wants to avoid severe water shortage in Rawalpindi city in the coming years as Khanpure Dam cannot provide the required 51 MGD treated water, they said.

The government had constructed Sangjani Treatment Plant, which has the capacity of 51 MDG daily, for treating water from Khanpure Dam. But, the dam hardly produced 24 MGD water even during rainy season. And, during dry seasons, when water consumption was high, the dam could hardly produce 10 to 15 MGD water, the sources said.

The meeting was told that the proposed construction of Daducha Dam on Ling River was not feasible as it would not be able to produce the estimated quantity of water. On the other hand, the construction of Chirah Dam is more feasible as it will have sufficient storage of water throughout the year.

Besides, unlike Daducha or Khanpure dams, Chirah Dam will not need any water-pumping machinery due to the "gravity" factor, the meeting was told.