ISLAMABAD Worsening law and order condition is one of the main reasons behind the inordinate delay in the completion of five major projects of the ministry of water and power.

In a written reply to the National Assembly on Thursday, Federal Minister for Water and Power, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, provided a list of causes due to which the government could not complete these projects despite spending billions of rupees.

The project of Sabakzai dam on which so far Rs1.53 billion has been spent was facing adverse law and order situation and undue interference from the locals of the area in its timely completion.

Due to the unfriendly circumstances in the province of Balochistan, supply of the construction material could not reach to the site and time was also lost due to regular strikes which hit the province during preceding years.

Kurram Tangi Dam Project on which the government had so far spent Rs50 million is facing the delay due to tense law and order condition in North Waziristan Agency.

An incident of kidnapping of Chinese Engineers on October 9, 2004 cast shadows on the construction of Gomal Zam Dam on which so far the government had incurred an expenditure of Rs3.42 billion. As a result, the contractor stopped the work and ultimately their contract was terminated. Now the contract is with Frontier Works Organization. The project is scheduled to be completed on October 2010.

The survey for the construction of Kachhi Canal Project phase I, was held up due to land mines laid down by the miscreants in the district of Rajanpur. The survey was further delayed at another location in Dera Bugti district for eleven months due to similar activities.

As a result of frequent incidents of mine blasting and attacks by the miscreants in the restive tribal areas on the border between Balochistan and Punjab have been adversely affecting this whole project. The Phase-I of the project is likely to be completed by June, 2010. Until December 2008, a massive amount of Rs20.155 billion has been spent on this project.

Rainee Canal, another multi-billion project is facing delay due to multifarious reasons, ranging from late approval of the its PC-I, hitches in awarding and then cancellation of  tenders on so many occasions and above all the poor law and conditions in the project area. The project has already consumed Rs6.37 billion till December 2008.

In response to another question, the minister for water and power informed the lower house that since February 2008, the government had been able to add up to 751 MW to boost up power generation in the country. Moreover, the government is working on 12 more Independent Power Producers (IPPs) that would produce 2277 MW by the end of ongoing year. He once again reiterated his stance that by the end of December 2009, there would be no more load shedding in the country.