Kurram Tangi Dam construction termed inevitable

PESHAWAR: Terming the construction of Kurram Tangi Dam inevitable for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, particularly for the southern districts, senior politician Humayun Saifullah Khan has urged the government to complete the project for the welfare and prosperity of the province and its people.

Talking to reporters on Wednesday, the former federal minister and elderly politician said that those opposing the construction of the dam were, in fact, ignorant about the facts, saying the delay in the mega project would be harmful.

Humayun Saifullah said that Kurram Tangi Dam would generate 84 megawatts electricity and help irrigate 3,50,000 acres barren land in the southern districts. The politician recalled that the site for the dam had been identified by the British Raj. He said that former president General (r) Pervez Musharraf had approved the construction of the dam on his request. He said it was unfortunate that the construction work could not be initiated for some time but later the previous government started phase-wise construction, which was now nearing completion.

Humayun Saifullah said that with the completion of the first phase, 12,300 acres land would be irrigated. He said the construction of the dam would benefit the entire southern belt equally. With the completion of Kurram Tangi Dam, he said that 60,000 acres land of Ahmadkhel Wazir tribe and 10,000 acres land of Latambar in Karak would be irrigated.

He said 40,000 acre land of Mamadkhel, Janikhel, Bakkakhel and Hindikhel would be irrigated and it would change the fate of the entire tribes. The politician continued that 50,000 acres of land in Bannu while 50,000 acres land in tehsil Naurang in Lakki Marwat would get water. He maintained that another 150000 acres land from Hindikhel would be irrigated from Marwat Kanal, which would produce crops and change the lot of people. Humayun Saifullah said in the next phase dam would be constructed. On the one hand, he said the Kurram Tangi Dam would irrigate 350,000-acre land and on the other generate 84-megawatt electricity. The politician observed that currently the scarcity of water was the main problem throughout the world and this dam would bring positive revolution in the life of millions of people.

He said with the construction of the dam and utilisation of water, the water share of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa would not be affected. Quoting international experts on water and producing documents, the politician said that Tarbela Dam was regulating only 16 percent water of Indus River, saying they would have to construct two or three major dams on an emergency basis to control floodwater.

Keeping in view global warming and climate change, he said the government would have to construct big and small dams on an emergency basis.

He said the government would have to accord priority to the construction of big dams, particularly for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which needed big dams.

The construction of big dams, he said, would control flood water and irrigate lakhs of barren land and make the province self-sufficient in food. He urged the government to start construction work on Kurram Tangi Dam without wasting more time to change the lot of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa particularly the southern districts.