All dams
including KBD completion by 2015: President
Staff Report
RAWALPINDI—President General Pervez Musharraf has said that efforts are
being made to gain consensus on the kala Bagh Dam and constructions of
all major dams including Kala Bagh would be completed by year 2015 and
vowed to develop energy resources of the country on fast track basis to
help meet the needs of the fast expanding industrial sector and
sustainable economic development of the country.
He was presiding over a high-level meeting in Rawalpindi Friday to
review the on-going hydropower projects in the country. President
Musharraf said all dams including Kala Bagh, Bhasha, Munda, Gomal Zam
and Kuram Tangi would be constructed by 2015 as part of his water vision
2025.
He said if new reservoirs are not constructed now, it would be too late
by year 2025, and the country would be facing acute water shortage with
serious implications for its economic growth. The president said that
the Mangla raising would help provide about three million-acre feet of
water for the benefit of the agriculture and industry.
About recently inaugurated Mirani Dam in Balochistan, the President said
that besides cultivating thirty three thousand acres of barren and
generation of electricity, it would also generate hundred million rupees
annually in fisheries sector. He said Sabakzai dam which is nearing
completion would be inaugurated next year and would supplement water
needs of the province. The president said that construction of three
hundreds kilometer long Kachi canal from Punjab to Balochistan at a cost
of forty billion rupees would help provide sufficient water for the
agriculture of Balochistan.
The president was informed that WAPDA is undertaking eight power
projects, which are expected to be completed by 2012. These would help
generate additional one thousand one hundred and fifty-five megawatts of
electricity, which would help meet country’s growing demands for the
fast peace economic development of the country. The meeting was also
informed that the Mangla Dam Raising at estimated cost of 62.5 billion
rupees would make available two point eight million acre feet of water
and six hundred forty four megawatts electricity.
About the Gomal Zam Dam, the meeting was further informed that the
project would be completed at an estimated cost of 8.2 billion rupees
having storage capacity of point eight nine million acre-feet. President
General Pervez Musharraf on Friday vowed to develop the energy resources
of the country on fast track basis to help meet the needs of the fast
expanding industrial sector and sustainable economic development of the
country.
He was presiding over a high-level meeting here Friday to review the
on-going hydropower projects in the country. The President was informed
that WAPDA was undertaking eight power projects which are expected to be
completed by 2012. |
