ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Friday directed the Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) to prepare a new PC-1 for the construction of Nai Gaj Dam within 15 days.
A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar heard the case regarding the construction of the dam.
The Nai Gaj Dam is an embankment dam currently under construction on the Gaj River in the gorge area at the edge of Kirthar Mountains range about 65 km (40 miles) north-west of Dadu city in Sindh.
During the course of proceedings, the chief justice observed that the court could not let Rs16 billion already spent on the project go waste.
The WAPDA officials requested for one month for preparing the new PC-1. The chief justice did not accepted their request and granted 15 days with the directive that the WAPDA representatives should not appear before the bench without the new PC-1.
During the previous hearing, the CJP had observed that if the dam was not built within the given time frame, the parties concerned would be held responsible.
The additional attorney general informed the top court the PC-1 of the dam would be revised and a new contractor would be hired for the construction.
The CJP remarked that projects were started for ‘kickbacks’ and later abandoned on the plea that same were not needed.
He also observed that no one from the Sindh government had appeared before the court.
He said the federal government was to release Rs 46 billion for the dam's construction.
About 51 per cent of the project had been completed, but the Sindh government was saying that it was not needed anymore, he added.
The CJP asked the additional attorney general whether the federal government had released funds for the dam.
On this, the additional attorney general replied that the Sindh government had changed its approach and was reluctant to undertake the construction of the dam.
The dam’s construction of the dam started in May 2012. It is estimated that water will be supplied from Nai Gaj Dam to 28,800 acres land in tehsil Johi and 300,000 acres in other areas of Dadu District.
Moreover, Nai Gaj Dam will supply 50 cusecs of water to the Lake Manchar for decreasing its pollution.
Furthermore, the water will also be supplied from the dam to Kachho desert and area of Kohistan in Dadu District
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