SWABI: A Chinese company has stopped work on the intake section of the Tarbela Dam Fourth Extension Project due to alarming rise in the water level at the reservoir, Dawn learnt on Tuesday.

As a result, about 300 workers of the intake section have been laid off.

Relevant officials said the Chinese Company Sinohydro would resume work on the intake section when the water level in the reservoir receded which, they said, was expected to take about three months.

An order issued by the company about stoppage of the work says: “The company management has decided to stop the construction work at the intake section due to continuous flood in river at Tarbela reservoir.”

“Consequently, all laid off workers of the intake section are instructed to contact HR office within two days for further action in the prevailing circumstances,” the order says. Mr Feng, the company’s HR and security officer, told Dawn by phone that resumption of work on intake section depended on receding of water level and weather condition.

An official of Tarbela Dam said the intake section was completely under water and if the rains continued the water level was expected to increase further.

Published in Dawn, August 5th, 2015

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