All water reservoirs to be constructed by 2015

[Neo]

Mangla Dam expansion to complete in 15 months: Musharraf
Saturday March 17, 2007

KHANEWAL: President General Pervez Musharraf has said that the expansion project of Mangla Dam would be completed in 15 months .
While addressing the inauguration of the local Nestle Milk Plant on Friday, he said that a better and conducive canal network was being evolved to overcome the problem of water supply and also informed that work on Basha Dam was underway while Kalabagh Dam would also be initiated in the near future.

While lauding the newly established Nestle milk Plant also stressed on a better evolvement of conducive livestock, and stressed on women training for employment in such factories.

While addressing the occasion, the CEO of Nestle, Mr. Peter Braddock informed that Nestle invested in Pakistan in 1988 and are marketing one million products for the cause of women training alone.

The CEO also thanked President Musharraf and informed that this milk plant with a production of 20 lac liters would be the biggest one in Asia, while fourth in the world, and would provide all the best of facilities to its employees.

While addressing the occasion the federal minister for industries and production Jehangir Khan Tareen said that government and private sector would always strive to provide the best of facilities to public, specifically those hailing from rural areas.

The federal minister while condemning the terrorist activities in the Country stressed on foreign investors to set up more projects in backward rural areas like the Nestle project.

http://www.paktribune.com/news/index.shtml?172207

 

[Janbaz]

A man made water reservoire in Balochistan (I forgot the name :s) recently changed the landscape, thousands of acres of dry and improductive land is now being prepared for cultivation. The water is coming from melting snow is Quetta and Ziarat region. Same can be applied in many dry regions where rainfall is scarse.

If this projects works out well more will follow.

Traditional practices such as the Karez should be dropped for modern techniques and foremost people should be educated to utulize advanced method's plus taught te best policy of all: Conserve!

 

[Janbaz]

Nayyar wants Indus treaty quashed

By our correspondent

LAHORE: Renowned writer and journalist Kuldip Nayyar has urged Pakistan and India to quash the Indus Water Treaty and agree on joint control of six rivers that pass through Kashmir.

He was addressing the members of Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry at the Federation House on Saturday. A large number of Indian businessmen and cultural leaders were also present.

He said trade relations between the two countries would improve once both sides started trusting each other. President International Punjab Congress, Vikram Singh, said Indian and Pakistani businessmen had jointly appealed to both the governments to issue unlimited visas to 100 businessmen from each country so that they could freely inter-act and increase bilateral trade.

He said “it makes no economic sense if both countries conduct a major portion of their trade through third countries,” adding transportation cost and delivery time could be substantially reduced if both the countries agreed to trade through land route.

“The day is not far when borders between the two Punjabs would vanish just like the Berlin Wall in Europe,” he hoped. An Indian delegate informed the FPCCI members that his company had planned to set up a bus body-making plant at Lahore. He said he built bodies of Volvo buses under a joint venture and supplied 200 buses to Karachi from Dubai. Former Indian prime minister, I K Gujral, who was scheduled to deliver the main speech, could not reach Pakistan.

The News.
http://thenews.jang.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=47271

 

[Neo]

New reservoirs needed to improve per capita water availability

Friday, March 23, 2007

LAHORE: With per capita water availability at 1,200 cubic meters, Pakistan would be classified as a water shortage country by the year 2012 unless additional water is made available through new water reservoirs.

Eminent water expert Engineer Dr Chaudhry Mazhar Ali stated this at a seminar on World Water Day at the Institute of Engineers Pakistan. He said Pakistan had per capita water availability of 5,650 cubic meters in 1951 that has deteriorated to the present level due to the failure of planners to build any new big water reservoir during the last three decades.

He said any country with per capita water availability of 1,000 cubic meters is internationally classified as water shortage country. Pakistan’s per capita water availability would drop to that level by 2012, he added.

He said Pakistan needed to build three to five mega dams by 2020 for storing 20 to 25 million acre feet of water. Member Water WAPDA Chaudhry Mushtaq said Kalabagh Dam could not be built only due to differences between the provinces. He said its feasibility and engineering design have been upgraded and the construction could start when the government gives green signal.

He said the designing and all engineering designs of Bhasha would be completed by 2008. He said as there are no differences on the construction of this dam it would be completed on schedule.

He said the dams proposed in the President’s vision would be capable of storing 22.5 MAF of water. He said besides these, the WAPDA is building numerous smaller dams as well.

President IEP Engineer Aftab Aslam Agha said water availability determines the affluence of a nation. He said all economic growth would go in vain if the adequate water is not made available for the nation within next decade. He said 17 per cent global population already lack access to improved water sources. He said 1.8 million people die globally every year due to water borne diseases.

Former minister for agriculture Chaudhry Sultan Ali said judicious distribution of water is also an issue in Pakistan. He said Punjab irrigates 19.6 million acres of land with 54.33 MAF water. Sindh on the other hand irrigates 9.2 million acres of land with 44.7 MAF of water. He said by Punjab standard it should irrigate 15.2 million acres of land from water made available to the province.

Punjab Minister for Environment Dr Anjum Amjad said government has allocated maximum resources for providing pure drinking water to its population. He said actions against those industries, residential colonies and is being speeded up that are polluting clean water streams. He said sanitation system is being improved to stop polluted water from entering clean water sources. She said water conservation and new dams planned by the government would reduce water shortage in few years. Earlier similar sentiments were expressed by speakers at a national water seminar organised by the Environ Monitor and the Royal Society of Chemistry.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=47944

 

[Neo]

‘No additional cost in Mangla Dam project’

LAHORE: Any delay in the completion of Mangla Dam raising project would not increase the cost for the Water and Power Development Authority and additional water would be available for winter crops next year, an official said.

Talking to The News, General Manager North WAPDA and head of Mangla raising project, Brig (Retd) Mushtaq Ahmad said “at present the project is less than four months behind schedule. The contractors have assured that they will speed up the work and reduce the delay to two months.” The WAPDA would bear no additional cost for the delay, he added.

Regarding storage of water in the dam, he pointed out that storage of water “starts every year in May. The project was originally scheduled to complete in September this year. Even after that, the storage of water would have started in May next year.”

He said if the project was delayed by even three months, it would be much ahead of the dam filling schedule. There was no truth that there would be a delay of eight months in the completion of the project. “Historically water starts filling the dam in May and reaches its previous peak level of 1,202 feet by June 30 and after that it will start filling the enhanced capacity.”

Investigations revealed that the start of the project was delayed due to a dispute between the contractor and the firm having lease of hills from where material was to be hauled for raising the project.

It was learnt that even before WAPDA’s tender for the project was awarded, an influential family of the area obtained the lease of the hills through an open auction. The WAPDA, it was found, required 80 million tons of land mass (sand/stones) for the project.

After the tender was awarded, the lease owners demanded Rs1.4 billion for the material to be lifted from their leased area, which the contractor refused to pay. It was learnt that at this point the powers that matter interfered and asked the lease owner to demand a reasonable amount. The price of 80 million tons dumping material was finally brought down from Rs1.4 billion to Rs300 million.

Other reason for the delay was slow supply of filter material. It was found that a company - Descon - had added 55 new dumpers and imported a heavy duty machine from Italy to speed up the production of filters. They have promised to make up for the deficit as their new machine would be functional by April 15 this year.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=47945

 

[Neo]

Sunday, March 25, 2007

KBD, other major dams viable: expert

By Sajid Chaudhry

ISLAMABAD: The construction of multi-billion dollar major dams, including Kalabagh Dam, on active fault line is economically viable and there are available engineering techniques that can make proposed dams earthquake resistant and safe from any possible damage.

Professor Dr. Rashid Ahmed Khan Tahirkheli, Vice Chancellor, Gandhara University, who have also participated in the geological survey of the Tarbela Dam in his official capacity, stated this.

On the occasion of GSP Post Earthquake 2005 Research Symposium on Seismotectonics and Seismic Hazards in Pakistan, while replying to the questions to the journalists, he informed that the western part of the Tarbela Dam was built on fault line and the engineers had managed to fill the required area with cement and concrete to ensure viability of the dam. This dam is functioning well till date and serving the national cause.

Geo-tectonic, seismic and reservoir area studies of the Kalabagh Dam have been completed and the construction of this dam would pose no threat to the country as the latest technologies and engineering techniques can save such kind of huge dams from damages of earthquake. He disclosed that to reach at consensus on the construction of Kalabagh dam that height of the Kalabagh dam has been reduced by 15 feet. There would be no threat to Nowshera city now, as during the high flood season water to remain below old Attock bridge and would pose no threat to the said city.

Now the engineering skills have developed and can tackle the challenges faced by the construction industry, he added. He said that the construction of any proposed dam on fault line requires initiation of studies like geo-tectonic study, seismic study and studies on rocks in the proposed site.

Earlier Ahmed Waqar, Federal Secretary Petroleum and Natural Resources in his inaugural address said that it is necessary to mobilize the scientific knowledge and technological and engineering know-how to assess earthquake hazards and strengthen disaster mitigation measures. He said that research carried on seismic macro-zonation and micro-zonation of the country along with the geohazard to cope up with the national disasters. He said that research carried out on the seismic macro-zonation and micro-zonation of the country along with the geohazard zonation maps will help a great deal in future engineering works in the affected areas as well as contribute in mitigation measures to be undertaken by the government.

Mirza Talib Hasan, Director General Geological Survey of Pakistan in his welcome address said that the Asia region has the highest level seismicity on the planet. It is also the setting for many of the largest earthquakes. The majority of earthquakes in Asia region are related to regions plate convergence, however, large earthquake are not always associated with subduction zones, fault where horizontal motion take place also generate devastating earthquake, and Pakistan has both the settings. He said that Geological Survey of Pakistan had held the first International Conference in January, 2006 and papers were presented on Seismotectonics, palaeoseismology, earthquake predictions, geotechnical evaluation and disaster mitigation and preparedness.

Professor Dr. Takashi Nakata in his research study revealed that the whole country is on active fault line and stressed the need for continuous research on the areas which have identified situated on fault line. Dr. Jean-Louis Mugnier, LGCA, France, Professor. Dr. Stevew Wesnouskey, University of Nevada, USA, Professor Dr. M. Asif Khan, Professor Dr. Takashi Nakata presented their research studies which were completed in Pakistan after the earthquake of October 8, 2005.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007\03\25\story_25-3-2007_pg5_1

 

[niaz]

I am being a spoil sport again. Yes all the Dams are a MUST and viable and should be built. The ground realities however indicate otherwise.

With elections around the corner and hopefully a civilian government expected next year. Does any one really think that a democratic government will be able to ramrod Kala Bagh Dam against the opposition from the three smaller provinces??? I would say no. If Mushy couldnt do it, no one else can. Eventually, when Pakistan is starving from drought and people start dying, then and only MAY BE; NWFP and Sindh might relent and agree to KB Dam otherwise NO.

If you dont believe me, just ask Arbab Rahim or Altaf Bhai ( Musharraf allies)
and Isfandyar Wali Khan and you will know!

 

[Neo]

Sir,

I understand your pessimism, I'm sceptical too about it and thats why we need andother term for Mushy do finish what he started.
KB dam has been pending for three decades, we can't afford to lose this opportunity now.

 

[Neo]

March 26, 2007
The debate over large dams

By Nusrat Khurshedi

WORLD Water Day once again raises the debate over large dams which is one of the most controversial issue that Pakistan is facing today. At the time of independence it was estimated that about 5000 cu/m of water was available for every citizen which has now been reduced to 1000 cu/m. The country receives merely only 200mm of annual rainfall, This results in the water table to sink at the rate of one to two meters per year. A significant proportion of rainwater is lost as surface run-off.

The run off losses from the cultivated portion of rain-fed areas is estimated at nearly six million acre-feet of water per year. On the other hand, due to less fresh water supply from the River Indus, the land becomes infertile by salt. Little rainfall deserted the region and mangrove forest which is vital for fish and shrimps spawning and protects the shoreline.

The production of major food grains and crops may be hit in the years to come due to water shortage. Projections of agricultural output show a shortfall of 11 million tons by 2010 and 16 million tons by 2020. If we fail to grapple successfully with the problem, by the year 2025, there will be shortage of 28 million tons of different food crops.

Pakistan needs to work urgently to better utilise its water resources by building of dams. But how this is to be done remains a centre of much controversy. So far 81 large, medium and small dams have been built across the country since 1947. Work on mega water projects including Neelum Jhelum Hydro Power Projects, Diamir Bhasha Dam, Kurram _ Tangi Dam (NWFP), Subak-Zai Dam (Balochistan), and Kachi Canal are underway. However, the most controversial dam still in the debating stage is Kalabagh dam.

Contribution of dams: The question arises that what has been the contribution of large dams to agriculture? Pakistan depends on irrigation and water resources for 90 per cent of its food and crop production. The vast irrigation system comprises three major storage reservoirs, 19 barrages or headwaters, 43 main canals with a conveyance length of 57,000km, and 89,000 watercourses with a running length of more than 1.65 million km.

This vast irrigation system feeds more than 40 million acres of irrigated land in Pakistan--a country with the highest irrigated and rain-fed land ratio in the world (4:1). On the question of how much of the increase in food production can be attributed exclusively to dams, there are different estimates ranging from 10--30 per cent.

Only 28.2 per cent of the total electricity is produced by water resources and the remaining 71.8 per cent is generated through expensive resources (68.8 per cent by fossil fuel and three per cent by nuclear resources). On the other hand, public water – supply is not often a stated objective of large dams projects. In many cases reservoirs and canals are in fact, used for this purpose and also for meeting the industry demand.

Turning to flood control, the contribution of dams has been modest. Dams are not often planned with flood-moderation as a primary aim, and even where they are, the competing claims of irrigation and power generation often override the flood – moderation function. While dams may indeed moderate flood flows to some extent under normal conditions, they may aggravate the position if, in the absence of a flood cushion, water has to be suddenly released in the interest of the safety of structure.

Disenchantment: However, disenchantment with large projects has been growing over the past two decades. The answer lies in a convergence of dissatisfaction with such projects from diverse point of view:

i. Financial/ economic: ‘time and cost overruns’: an instable demand for resources; the failure of many projects to achieve the projected benefits; their inability to generate revenues for reinvestment or even for proper maintenance, partly because of the poor pricing of irrigation water.

ii. ‘Political economy’: the widespread perception of the prevalence of corruption and of the influence of vested interests in the planning and implementation of projects; serious inequities in the incidence of cost and benefits.

iii. Environmental / ecological concerns.

iv. Concern about the displacement of people, dissatisfaction with rehabilitation policies and practices and so on.

All these viewpoints are important but the large dams issue become a political instead of an environmental degradation and social impact issue. .

Human impact: In most cases, there will also be varying degrees of displacement of human settlements, with the attendant problems of resettlement and rehabilitation. This impact often falls on poor and disadvantage sections. There are inherent difficulties in resettlement and rehabilitation: a lack of full knowledge of the numbers and categories of people likely to be affected; separation of communities from the natural resources base on which they are dependent; inadequacy of land for land-based rehabilitation; scattering of well-knit communities; resettlement in distant and unfamiliar areas; difficulties with the host communities in the resettlement areas; major transformation in ways of living, loss of livelihood and old coping capabilities and the need to learn new skills and ways of living, and so on.

Along this, cash compensation is a principal vehicle for delivering resettlement benefits which is often been delayed, and when paid on time, has usually failed to compensate fully for the lost livelihoods.

Difficulties with EIA: In the first place, environmental and other concerns continue to be regarded as disagreeable external impositions; they have not become integral parts of projects planning from the start despite many ‘guidelines’ and instructions to this affect. Everyone pays lip service to these concerns but the prime interest is in the engineering aspects. The implicit assumption is that water planning is essentially a matter for engineers.

Second, environmental impact assessments (EIAs) are notoriously undependable. When the projects planners undertake them in-house, the desire to get the project approved may influence the EIA and render it suspect. For example, a consultant who says:’ the impact of this project is too grave to be mitigated or offset and the project should not be undertaken’ is unlikely to secure many assignments. Later on the consultant could come under strong pressure from other official agencies for supporting the ‘development’.

Another factor is the cost-benefit calculus which is a flawed basis for decision-making because:

i. it is susceptible to manipulation (costs are usually under-stated and benefits overstated),

ii. it is necessarily incomplete and inadequate because not every aspect or dimension can be brought within the ambit of calculus; and,

iii. it is morally blind (the infliction of misery on some people is often sought to be justified on the ground that a larger number elsewhere will be benefited).

Looking at the ‘political economy’ aspect of such projects, it could be argued that inequalities, injustices, corruption, collusion etc., arise from the socio-political milieu and cannot be attributed to dams; but some of the inequities and ills are perhaps facilitated by, or at any rate associated with, large – dam projects.

Are large dams avoidable? Keeping in mind the various impacts and consequences of large dams, the crucial question is: given the projected magnitudes of demand for water (linked to rates of population growth and urbanisation), are such projects avoidable.

A widely held view is that they are not. Such a linking holds that future needs cannot be met without massive ‘water resource development’. That expression is treated as synonymous with large ‘storage’ (i.e., dam and reservoir) projects; and that local rainwater harvesting and watershed development schemes although necessary, are bound to remain secondary and supplementary.

In terms of environmental, social and human impacts of large dams, there is a point that doing things has a cost; but there is also ‘the cost of not doing’. This argument is often reinforced by the rhetorical question: where would the country have been without Kalabagh Dam? ‘The cost of not doing’ means merely that in the absence of the project, certain benefits would not be available. This is nothing more than the old argument that the benefits justify the costs.

It is fallacious to equate the non-undertaking of a large project with ‘not doing’. As a result of delays in major large dams especialy Kalabagh and Diamer Bhasha Dam, Pakistan has suffered immensely in the agriculture and the energy sectors, directly and in industrial and manpower sectors indirectly. All these negative effects have, no doubt, contributed in a big way to the alarming situation faced by the national economy.

Such projects are definitely needed for generating hydroelectric power. Addition to generating capacity are called for; that a suitable thermal – hydro mix is required for maintaining a proper balance between base-load and peaking capacities; and that hydroelectric power is ‘clean’ and does not create the kind of pollution that is incidental to coal-burning.

It is the time for planners, managers and researchers to get out of generalised approaches.. The water resource development issues, ground water sustainability, water stress, low efficiency of water use in the saline areas and non-agricultural uses, have specific and localised character. There is a genuine need to have a sound and scientific approach towards the large dams.

It is disappointing that, despite a variety of challenges, local scientists have not been stimulated to evolve alternative strategies if large dams not appropriate.

http://www.dawn.com/2007/03/26/ebr7.htm

 

[Janbaz]

Kalabagh dam will create hatred: Akram Durrani

RECORDER REPORT
PESHAWAR (March 27 2007): NWFP Chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani has called for undertaking construction work on Basha Dam, a national consensus project adding that the controversial project like Kalabagh dam would provoke hatred and misunderstanding between centre and federating units.

"Undisputed plans should be given priority while construction of new small dams in the province would generate thousands of megawatts electricity to cater the future power needs of the country," Durrani suggested while addressing a one-day workshop on hydro-power organised jointly by provincial department of irrigation and power, PPIB (Private Project Infrastructure Board), SHYDO and Chirat Cement here on Monday.

Durrani on this occasion said that the provincial government has made the environment investment-friendly and besides the continuity of one-window policy of SHYDO, the government would go all out to facilitate such projects.

The workshop was also attended by provincial minister Hafiz Akhtar Ali, chief secretary, chief executive Chirat Cement and other high level government officials.

The chief minister said that in the light of recommendations of the investment conference, the MMA-led provincial government had introduced growth-oriented industrial policy and better utilisation and exploration of mineral, power and other valuable resources in the province. He said the fruits of his government policy were being received.

Durrani asked the investors to contact with him directly if they were facing any problems so that their grievances could be resolved at the earliest. He said that his government had prepared feasibility of the plans like small dams, first left canal to save the Frontier waters from wastage, which would lead to gaining self-reliance in food and would bring thousands of acres of land under cultivation.

He said that the critics of his government policies were now appreciating the good governance of the MMA in the province. For obtaining net hydel profits dues of the province, Durrani said that his government knocked the door of everyone and as a result won legal and constitutional war of the provincial rights in shape of consensus and acceptable to all verdict of the arbitration commission.

He lamented delay in the provision of net hydel profit dues to the province as decided by arbitration commission and said that it was not a matter of a group or individual but it concerning the whole province and the country as well.

He said the matter of net hydel profit should be resolved keeping ideological differences aside otherwise apprehensions in the mind of people would create against the federal government.

Referring to his government achievements, Durrani said that his government had launched reformative policies in diverse fields for making the base of economic development strong and sound. "We want to cover the distance of years within months for which the government had provided every possible facilities and attractive incentives to the local as well as foreigner investors," he claimed.

He hailed federal government for giving incentives on marble and furniture and urged extension of the facilities to other sectors so that the investors of a province could compete with investors of other provinces. He alleged that in the past, the governments of industrialists and capitalists instead of working for boosting the overall industrial sector of the province had preferred to fulfil their own vested interests.

Business Recorder.
http://www.brecorder.com/index.php?id=543571&currPageNo=1&query=&search=&term=&supDate=

 

[Janbaz]

There is so much controversy and different set of minds on this dam issue, i am faltered. Someone says something and another individual opposes him! It is a fudge or soup!

 

[Neo]

Gomal Zam Dam contract cost surges to Rs 10 billion

ISLAMABAD (March 28 2007): The contract cost of Gomal Zam Dam has increased by around 150 percent to Rs 10 billion, which was a major demand of Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) for resumption of work on the project, sources told Business Recorder.

The cost of the same contract was Rs 4 billion, as agreed between the Chinese company and the government, the sources said. The kidnapping and subsequent killing of one of the Chinese engineers forced the company to abandon work on the dam in 2004.

The concerned authorities including the Planning and Development (P&D) Division and the Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) have agreed to enhance the contract cost. The overall cost of the project has also been increased from Rs 12 billion to Rs 15 billion, the sources said.

According to the PC-I, the project, being built on Gomal River in South Waziristan Agency, was to be completed by June 2006. Due to abandoning of the work by the Chinese company, the project completion has been delayed. The new date of completion is yet to be determined despite the finalisation of the new contract, they added.

A senior government official said that since the contract was awarded to the Chinese company in 2002, so the contract cost was kept at Rs 4 billion. Now the prices of required materials have soared, therefore, the contract was given a fresh look. He said that even the Chinese company was seeking an additional allocation of 25 million US dollars after it had started the construction work.

However, the official gave no detail that what is the government's decision about the work already, done by the Chinese contractors. According to the sources, around 98 percent work has been completed on design, 16 percent on dam and spillway, and over 14 percent work on distributaries.

There is no detail whether the amount already spent by the Chinese company would be included in the cost, which was calculated afresh for resumption of the work on the project. They said that the government turned down the demand of increase in allocation of the project by the Chinese company and the same was accepted for the FWO. They said that prices of required materials had not experienced such a big hike in the last two or three years, which could have enhanced the project cost by 150 percent.

The contract has been assigned on European standards, the sources said. This is, perhaps, the first scheme in water sector to have been awarded on the pattern of European construction standards despite the fact that there is a sharp contrast between prices and costs in European countries and Pakistan, the sources added.

http://www.brecorder.com/index.php?id=543872&currPageNo=2&query=&search=&term=&supDate=

 

[Neo]

March 30, 2007
Bhasha dam to be redesigned

By Khaleeq Kiani

ISLAMABAD, March 29: The government has decided to redesign the Diamer-Bhasha dam to make it safe from seismic activities, which will increase the project cost by $700 million, it is learnt.

“Geological surveys have revealed that location of the project is in the earthquake zone,” the Ministry of Water and Power told a meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council a few days ago. It, however, said the project could be made safe from seismic activities, sources in the planning commission told Dawn.

The ministry, the planning commission and Wapda were directed that the “dam should be designed keeping in view seismic activities/requirements”, according to minutes of the Ecnec meeting. Ecnec has approved Rs1.677 billion for completion of a detailed engineering design and tender documents of the project.

The sources said the Ministry of Water and Power had convened a meeting later this month to see how the increase in the project cost could be taken up with lending agencies. Three senior-most officers of the ministry, Ashfaq Mehmood, Zahir Shah Mohmand and Yousaf Memon, did not respond despite repeated attempts to seek their comment.

The government has been negotiating with lenders — World Bank and Asian Development Bank — for financial arrangements on cost estimates of $6.7 billion which has now been projected to over $7.5 billion. Project consultants have started bathymetric, cadastral and marking of dam’s periphery surveys and completed about 95 per cent, five per cent and 35 per cent work, respectively.

During the meeting, the Ministry of Water and Power had informed Ecnec that work on the feasibility study of the project was on track and would be completed by March 2008.

About compensation to people to be displaced by the project, the ministry assured the prime minister that the process would be transparent.

The sources said prequalification activities for contractors would be started in a few weeks.

http://www.dawn.com/2007/03/30/top11.htm

 

[Neo]

Friday, March 30, 2007

3.7 MAF water for Kharif season: Jatoi

ISLAMABAD: An unprecedented quantum of water of 3.7 MAF will be carried forward for Kharif 2007 and there would be no shortage of water in the season.

Minister for Water and Power, Liaquat Ali Jatoi said this while chairing a meeting on review of water situation here on Thursday.

The Indus River System (IRSA) chairman briefed the participants about the prevailing water situation and stated that today's inflows in rivers are about 83% more than the last year.

He said reservoirs carry storage of 3.7 MAF, which is unprecedented, and present inflow pattern along with the storage component is expected to be sufficient to meet the full provincial demands for Kharif 2007 crops.

He said there would be no shortage of water in early as well as late Kharif period. He added about 124 MAF would be available at rim stations, which is in surplus of provincial needs.

It was also briefed to the Minister that provinces received indented supplies during Rabi 2006-07 and that targets of Rabi crops may be surpassed. Jatoi said that water is the lifeline of the country's economy and its timely availability to the provinces will be ensured.

He directed WAPDA to ensure vigilant monitoring of the reservoirs during the coming flood season as the heavy inflows at rim stations are expected.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007\03\30\story_30-3-2007_pg5_8

 

[Neo]

Diamer-Bhasha dam design: $2.06 billion cost hike to be taken up with World Bank

ISLAMABAD (March 31 2007): The federal government has decided to take the World Bank (WB) on board for consultation on the proposed change in Diamer-Bhasha dam design for which Wapda is demanding $2.06 billion cost escalation, official sources told Business Recorder.

The decision was taken at a meeting on Friday with Minister for Water and Power Liaquat Ali Jatoi in the chair convened to discuss progress on the construction of Bhasha and Akhori dams.

Jatoi took strong position in the meeting and asked Wapda to come up with a report on complete engineering design and comparative statement of detailed activity-wise cost estimate of the Diamer-Bhasha dam project and submit the same immediately to Ministry for further review.

"After all I am answerable to higher authorities, first convince me on cost escalation and redesigning along with international rates, so that I could plead the case before the President and the Prime Minister," the sources quoted the minister as saying in the meeting.

He was also of the view that the World Bank should be taken on board, as the government has to approach the bank for funding of this mega project. The meeting also decided to set up an independent environmental assessment and resettlement cell exclusively for Bhasha dam project for which one expert will be hired from the market and one concerned senior officer from Wapda. The meeting was informed that the progress of the work is on schedule and most of the infrastructure is being put in place. The sources said that the estimated cost of Basha dam was $ 6.5 billion in 2004, which would reach $ 8.56 billion in 2008.

The issue of detailed progress of Akhori dam also came under discussion. Earlier the final feasibility report of the dam has been circulated to the provinces. There were some observations/recommendations by the provinces for improvement of the design and implementation strategy. The Minister directed WAPDA to immediately hold meetings with the provinces to remove their apprehensions on the feasibility study on Akhori dam project, so that the work on detailed engineering design to be commenced in the shortest possible time to enable implementation as approved by the Cabinet.

The total cost of construction of Kalabagh, Diamer-Basha and Akhori dams had been estimated at Rs 1.027 trillion, and the federal government will require Rs 432 billion in foreign funds for the completion of these projects. These estimates were considered by the Central Development Working Party (CDWP) last October.

The meeting also discussed import of power from Iran. The meeting was informed that 39 MW electricity was already being imported from Iran for the coastal areas of Balochistan while agreement for import of 100 MW power with Iran has already been signed. It was also decided that a high level delegation, led by Federal Minister for Water and Power will visit Iran in the first week of April to discuss import of 1000 MW from Iran.

The delegation will also discuss utilisation of Iranian expertise in the construction of dams in Pakistan. The meeting was attended by the Secretary Ministry of Water and Power, Advisor ministry of Water and Power, Chairman, Wapda, Members of Wapda and senior officials of both Ministry and the utility.

http://www.brecorder.com/index.php?id=544993&currPageNo=1&query=&search=&term=&supDate=