Diamer Basha and Mohmand Dams Construction work to begin by Mid-2019

Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) Chairman Lt Gen (retd) Muzammil Hussain on Thursday said construction work on both Diamer Basha and Mohmand dams would start by mid-2019, and it would require nine and five years, respectively for completion.

Talking to media after a meeting of the Implementation Committee of Diamer Basha and Mohmand Dams (ICDBMD), the chairman said a strategy would be devised to complete both the projects in time.

He said the committee had 34 members, including chief secretaries of four provinces, senior officials of the ministry, former Wapda chairmen, and technical and financial experts.

He said a classical mechanism was adopted during 1958-1976 for construction of dams and hydropower projects, and mega projects like Mangla, Tarbela dams, five barrages, and seven linked canals, to complete them in due course of time. However, the chairman admitted that the mechanism later slowed down, resulting in a delay of 10-15 years in completion of projects.

Muzammil Hussain said the water situation was critical in the country as hardly around one million acre feet (MAF) water was available in the reservoirs as compared to 6.7MAF last year.

The chairman said Wapda completed four mega projects in last one and a half year, including Neelum Jhelum Hydropower Project, Tarbela 4th Extension, Golan Gol, and Kacchi Canal despite numerous hardships.

(APP)