PESHAWAR, Aug 1: NWFP Governor Syed Iftikhar Hussain Shah announced on Thursday that construction of two new dams in Karak district would start shortly, which would bring thousands of acres under irrigation in this water-deficient district.

Feasibility studies of the two dams, to be built at Sherki and Cholghoza, had been completed and construction work would be taken up soon.

The governor was speaking at the opening ceremony of a degree college for boys at Latamber in Karak. Two other colleges, one each at Takht-i-Nasrati in Karak and Tajori in Lakki Marwat district, were also inaugurated by the governor the same day.

The governor said that the establishment of two additional colleges in Karak would bring the total number of colleges to six in this small district, which, he added, spoke for the keen interest of the government in the promotion of education.

Another small reservoir, Zaibi dam, which was completed at a cost of Rs61.620 million in 1997, as a pilot project of the defunct Public Health Engineering Department (PHED), is yet to be made operational, despite the fact the dam is full to its capacity.

An official of the Works and Services Department in Karak, talking to Dawn, said the supply of water for drinking as well as irrigation purposes could be started only when the district government gave approval to one of the three proposals submitted by the department. The supply of water from the dam for drinking purposes would needed a treatment plant, which, the official said, would cost about Rs50 million.

The governor told the gathering that the government was keenly interested in the development of agriculture and under the Drought Emergency Relief Assistance programme, Karak would be receiving the highest amount keeping in view its scarcity of water as compared to other districts of the province.

As far as construction of a link road via Karak to connect Bannu City with Indus Highway was concerned, he said, a number of proposals in this connection were under consideration and decisions would be taken on merit and in the best interests of the respective people.

Provincial Education Minister Syed Imtiaz Hussain Gilani and District Nazim of Karak Mohammad Sharif Khattak also spoke on this occasion.