CM Mahmood Khan orders construction of watercourses under Gomal project

PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Mahmood Khan has ordered the construction of watercourses in Gomal Zam Dam (GZD) Command Area within the stipulated timeline and plantation along with the canal sites to prevent soil erosion in the adjoining areas.

He was presiding over a progress review meeting on the command area development programme at Chief Minister’s Secretariat, said an official handout. The meeting was attended by Minister Environment Ishtiaq Urmar, Advisor to CM on Energy Hamayatullah, Principal Secretary to CM Shahab Ali Shah, Secretary Agriculture Muhammad Israr, Secretary Irrigation, chief engineer Irrigation, Project Director Gomal Zam Dam Muhammad Zubair and others.

The meeting was briefed in detail on Gomal Zam Dam Command Area Development Programme and the progress made so far. The participants were informed that the total cost of the project is Rs.3337.6 million out of which foreign assistance is Rs.2200.8 million while the share of the provincial government is 489.51 million in cash and 221.4 million in kind. The project will save Rs 80 million annually by reducing flood losses. The GZD will the capacity to generate 17.4 Mega Watt of electricity.

The meeting was informed that GZD has been established in Kajuri Kach area of South Waziristan. The height of the dam is 437 feet while the main canal is 60 Km long and length of all the distributaries 369 Km. The total storage capacity of the dam is around 11,40,000 acre-feet. The Command Area is near to 200,000 acres which includes 28,000-acre command area of Waran Canal. The meeting was told that in the revised PC-1, the number of watercourses has been increased to 462 out of which 105 watercourses have already been completed while 75 per cent of construction work on the remaining has been done. The chief minister said the completion of 462 watercourses will add nearly 200,000 acres of agriculture land and significantly increase agricultural production in the regions Dera Ismail Khan and Tank districts.

He stated the province will be self-sufficient in wheat production after GZD project. Mahmood Khan appreciated the authorities concerned for the completion of 105 watercourses under the project. The chief minister said no stone will be left unturned for the early completion of the project and all possible resources would be provided according to revise PC-1 on a priority basis.