Daily Times

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan’s armed forces will make contributions to the fund opened to facilitate the construction of Diamer-Basha and Mohmand dams, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement on Monday.

The statement came days after the Supreme Court on Wednesday directed authorities concerned to construct the two dams on priority basis.

In pursuance of the top court’s order, the Finance Division had opened a fund to facilitate the construction of dams in the country.

The payments to the aforesaid fund will be received at all branches of the State Bank of Pakistan, all treasuries and branches of National Bank of Pakistan and all other scheduled banks.

The fund may receive donations from both domestic, international donors and contributions from abroad which will be received at all branches of above-mentioned banks where such branches exist.

In other foreign countries contributions will be received at Pakistan Missions and remitted to the State Bank of Pakistan which would prescribe necessary accounting procedure.

It might be mentioned that Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Saqib Nisar had donated Rs 1 million to the fund.

In a separate development, Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) Chairman WAPDA Lt Gen (r) Muzammil Hussain called on Prime Minister Justice (r) Nasirul Mulk on Monday and briefed the latter about the issues of water and hydropower sectors in the country.

The Prime Minister was told that work on Diamer-Bhasha and Mohmand dams would be started in fiscal year 2018-19.

Diamer Basha Dam Project has a gross water storage capacity of 8.1 MAF and power generation capacity of 4500 MW. Likewise, Mohmand Dam will store 1.2 MAF water and generate 800MW electricity.

The premier was told that the 1,410MW- Tarbela 5th Extension, 2,160MW Stage II of Dasu, 7,100MW Bunji and the Stage II of multipurpose Kurram Tangi Dam were among the ready-for-construction projects.

Dilating upon the efforts made by WAPDA to meet the increasing requirements of water and electricity, the chairman said that WAPDA had completed four mega projects from August 2017 onwards to irrigate 72, 000 acres in Dera Bugti, Balochistan and added 2,487MW of hydroelectricity to the national grid.

These projects included Phase 1 of Kachhi Canal, Golen Gol, Tarbela 4th Extension and Neelum Jhelum Hydropower Project. Stage 1 of Kurram Tangi Dam Project will be completed in 2020, while the 2160 MW – Stage 1 of Dasu Hydropower Project is scheduled to start electricity generation by 2023, he said.

The prime minister expressed satisfaction over the measures being taken by WAPDA for implementation of its projects in water and hydropower sectors. He was of the view that concerted efforts were needed to overcome the impending water crisis.

Published in Daily Times, July 10^th 2018.