Progress on Munda, Kurram Tangi dam reviewed
Staff Report

ISLAMABAD—Federal minister for water and power Liaqat Ali Jatoi has said that technical and feasible suggestion of all the stake holders would be considered on the construction of mega water reservoirs in NWFP.
To review the progress of the commencement of the construction fo Munda Dam and Kuram Tangi dam, he convened a high level meeting, which was interalia attended by Interior Minister Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao, Minister for Inter Provincial Coordination, Salim Saifullah Khan and district Nazim Lakki Marwat, chairman WAPDA, MD PPIB, Chairman IRSA and high officials from NWFP government.
The minister for Water and power said president and prime minister give high priority to the development of water resources of the country and have therefore decided to construct five large dams, including Kurram Tangi Dam, Munda Dam by the year 2016. He added that the construction of these dams is the need of the hour and we have to take hold and clear out decisions in this regard. He also directed that the time schedule for construction of mega water sector projects should be met without delay.
The maters regarding height of Munda Dam, storage capacity, area to the irrigated and hydro-power generated frm the dam were thoroughly discussed in the meeting. The interior minister Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao made a number of useful suggestions. The view point of government of NWFP was also discussed in detail. It was decided that the dam should be multi purpose like irrigation, flood mitigation and hydro-power to be generation. A committee was constituted under the chairmanship of Member (Water) WAPDA, comprising of representatives of PPIB, government of NWFP and NESPAK to look into the technical aspects of the projects needed to fix the height of the dam and other parameters to determined optimum live storage etc and would submit its report within two weeks to the Ministry.
The progress on Kuram Tangi Dam was also discussed and the government of NWFP presented their view point on the project. The minister for inter-provincial coordination Salim Saifullah offered a number of useful suggestion to make the project more beneficial to the people of th area. He was of the view that completion of the dam would bring green revolution in NWFP especially in Southern area of the province which would irrigate 0.362 MAF barren lands and to generate 83 MW electricity and to help flood mitigation in the area.
The minister for water and power stressed importance of the project and urged WAPDA to make every possible efforts to start work on the project at the earliest for its timely completion. It was decided that WAPDA and government of NWFP should hold a meeting on the hydraulic data maintained by government of NWFP has been used for preparation of detailed design of the project. A report in this account shall be submitted to the ministry within a week.
On the request of NWFP government Jatoi also directed to shift the office of Land Acquisition collector of WAPDA fom Mrdan to near the sites of Kurram Tangi and Munda Dams.