Work on 12 small dams underway in KP

PESHAWAR: A meeting held here Friday was told that work on eight ongoing and four new small dam projects under the Annual Development Programme (ADP) was in progress and 97 percent of the total allocation of Rs6,560.93 million had so far been utilised.
The ongoing schemes include Jalozai and Gul Dheri dam in Nowshera, Kiyala and Jhangira dam at Abbottabad, Gadwalian dam at Haripur, Palai dam at Charsadda, Kundal dam at Swabi, Sanam dam at Lower Dir, Sitti Kali dam and Rocha dam in Bannu and Shah Kaleem dam in Nowshera.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Irrigation Mehmood Khan presided the meeting held at the irrigation department’s head office in Hayatabad.Directing the department to accelerate work on development schemes, especially on the small dams, the minister said early completion of the dams would usher in a green revolution.
“There is no room for inefficient officers and those found of dereliction in duty will be shown the door,” he warned.The minister said efforts were being made to keep the water of canals in the provincial capital clean. Safety grills are also being erected along canal for protection of the residents, he added.
The minister expressed satisfaction over the projects’ execution and utilisation of funds as he was told that 97 percent funds allocated for the small dams had been utilised. The target of irrigating 4.20 million acres land would be achieved as presently the irrigated area is only 2.33 million acres out of the total cultivated area of 6.53 million acres, he said.
The water reservoirs would not only enhance food grain, fruit and vegetables products, but also create job opportunities, raise water table, solve drinking water problem, stop floods and promote tourism, he added.
Director General Irrigation Muhammad Iqbal told the minister that during the tenure of the incumbent PTI-led government seven small dams had been completed, nine were under construction, detailed design of 11 had been completed and those of 10 more was in progress. Besides, he said feasibility study of 16 dams had been done.
He said that besides ADP projects, four out of the 20 dams under Public Sector Development Programme had been completed, three substantially completed and work on others was in different stages, which also include two ongoing and one new scheme.
Secretary Irrigation Muhammad Naeem Khan said a draft of amendment to laws regarding environmental pollution had been submitted for passage from the assembly to enhance fine on polluting water up to Rs25,000 and five years imprisonment. The amendment, if passed, would ensure protecting water pollution to a great extent, he said.