Report on dams sought by 30th: Directives issued to water body
ISLAMABAD, April 6: The federal government has asked the Technical Committee on Water Resources (TCWR) chairman to submit his final report on the construction of big dams by April 30. Sources told Dawn on Wednesday that the Prime Minister?s Secretariat had recently issues directives to the water and power ministry in this regard. The ministry has also been asked to provide relevant documents and minutes of the committee meetings.
Accordingly, the sources said, the ministry wrote to TCWR chairman A.N.G. Abbasi to finalize his report before the cut-off date. The chairman has also been told that he would also be required to give presentations on different forums on his report.
Meanwhile, former Wapda chairman and TCWR member from the NWFP Shamsul Mulk has objected to the procedure of finalization of the committee report and said the report would not be acceptable to members.
In a letter sent to Mr Abbasi through the water and power ministry, Mr Mulk said the report would not be acceptable to him and some other members.
He asked Mr Abbasi to convene a committee meeting and present the report for discussion. He said the chairman had no authority to forward the report to the government unless it was cleared by all the members. Otherwise, he added, members would not sign the report which would be considered unilateral and partisan.
The sources said Mr Abbasi had responded that he was writing the report on the basis of the minutes of the committee meetings and would incorporate in it viewpoints of all the members.
However, the sources said, Mr Mulk was not satisfied with the reply and insisted that the report could not be finalized without the clearance of the entire committee.
When contacted, Mr Mulk said he would not comment on the subject which should be referred to the committee chairman.
Mr Abbasi, however, said there would be no more meetings of the committee. He declined to confirm whether Mr Mulk had objected to the finalization of the report. ?These things are of no use and we should move forward with a positive approach and I am trying to fulfil my responsibilities honestly and positively,? he said.
Accordingly, the sources said, the ministry wrote to TCWR chairman A.N.G. Abbasi to finalize his report before the cut-off date. The chairman has also been told that he would also be required to give presentations on different forums on his report.
Meanwhile, former Wapda chairman and TCWR member from the NWFP Shamsul Mulk has objected to the procedure of finalization of the committee report and said the report would not be acceptable to members.
In a letter sent to Mr Abbasi through the water and power ministry, Mr Mulk said the report would not be acceptable to him and some other members.
He asked Mr Abbasi to convene a committee meeting and present the report for discussion. He said the chairman had no authority to forward the report to the government unless it was cleared by all the members. Otherwise, he added, members would not sign the report which would be considered unilateral and partisan.
The sources said Mr Abbasi had responded that he was writing the report on the basis of the minutes of the committee meetings and would incorporate in it viewpoints of all the members.
However, the sources said, Mr Mulk was not satisfied with the reply and insisted that the report could not be finalized without the clearance of the entire committee.
When contacted, Mr Mulk said he would not comment on the subject which should be referred to the committee chairman.
Mr Abbasi, however, said there would be no more meetings of the committee. He declined to confirm whether Mr Mulk had objected to the finalization of the report. ?These things are of no use and we should move forward with a positive approach and I am trying to fulfil my responsibilities honestly and positively,? he said.
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