Gomal Zam to be ready by end of January

[Toramana]

ISLAMABAD: The Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) iss working on a number of large and medium-sized dams in the federally administered tribal areas (Fata) including the Gomal Zam Dam in South Waziristan and the project was likely to be completed by end of January.
Official sources told APP here on Thursday that the hydropower component of the dam had already been completed, while progress on the irrigation and flood protection component of the project was almost near completion.
Gomal Zam Dam is being constructed in the Khjori Kach area of South Waziristan, over the Gomal River which iss also one of the significant tributaries of Indus River. The dam will irrigate 163,086 acres of barren land of Tank and districts of Dera Ismail Khan.
The dam will have a gross live storage of water of 1.14 million acre feet (MAF), whereas 0.36 MAF of perennial and flood flow of the Gomal River will provide irrigation water to barren lands.

A small power plant was installed at the foot of the dam. Designed by an Italian company, the plant will produce 17.4 megawatts of power.
The multipurpose project will boost development in the remote area by enhancing irrigation, controlling flash floods and producing economical electricity. The dam was initially conceived in the late 1800s for meeting the water needs of Dera Ismail Khan.

Gomal Zam to be ready by end of January – The Express Tribune

[Toramana]

This is going to produce an agricultural revolution in the southern districts of KP. KP will become self-sufficient in grain.

[Toramana]

LAHORE: Work on Kurram Tangi Dam, a multi-purpose project in North Waziristan Agency, is set to kick off in the next two months, with the Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) needing swift handover of land and effective security arrangements.
Briefing Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Governor Barrister Masood Kausar, Wapda Chairman Syed Raghib Shah revealed that the project had been divided into three components for effective implementation.
Construction work on the first component will be initiated in March this year. In this phase, a weir, two canals covering an area of more than 16,000 acres, two power houses of about 19 megawatts and a 132-kilovolt transmission line will be constructed. Annual benefits of the first component have been estimated at about Rs1.7 billion.
Shah asked the governor to help in early handover of land to Wapda and ensure effective security arrangements.
He said the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) had expressed interest in providing funds for the first component. An environment assessment study is also underway to pave the way for the financing.

In the second component, the main dam and three power houses will be constructed and in the third component an irrigation system will be developed.
Shah pointed out that Wapda could initiate work on all the three components simultaneously, subject to availability of funds. He called for constituting a steering committee comprising representatives of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, the Fata Development Authority, Wapda and other stakeholders to speed up the project.
With an aim of sustained socio-economic development in backward areas, the project will provide water for agriculture, generate low-cost hydroelectric power and create employment for local residents.
The project, with gross water storage capacity of 1.2 million acre feet and power generation capacity of 83 megawatts, will irrigate more than 362,000 acres of land and provide 350 million units of low-cost electricity.
In addition to these, about 12,600 and 480 employment opportunities will be created during construction and operation of the project respectively. Overall benefits have been estimated at about Rs9 billion per annum.

Work on Kurram Tangi Dam set to start in March – The Express Tribune

[Toramana]

Better canal system to boost agriculture sector in KP: Hoti

PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Amir Haider Khan Hoti has termed effective canal system essential for self sufficiency in agriculture sector. He said that important projects like Bazai Irrigation Scheme, small dams and Chashma Left canal scheme were part of government's comprehensive strategy.
Talking to a delegation of consultants, contractors and engineers of Bazai Irrigation Scheme under its Project Director at CM House on Thursday, the Chief said that unfortunately due to lack of suitable canal systems in the province we could not benefit from our share of water.
He said to overcome this shortage a strategy was drafted in consultation with entire political parties of the province for utilization of hydel power revenues and development of water sector in the province was also implemented.
He said that the government had also decided to obtain foreign loans only for revenues generating projects. Speaking about the Chashma Left Canal Project the Chief Minister said the project would be implemented with cooperation of World Bank and the process in this connection was in progress.
He lauded performance of department and efforts of engineers in prompt rehabilitation and reconstruction of last year flood devastated Munda Head Works, and hoped that entire network of Baizai Irrigation project would be completed by June which would usher green revolution in the area and would bring pleasant changes in economic status of farmers.
The project director thanked the Chief Minister on encouraging the staff and assured that the staff will leave no stone unturned for achieving objectives of the projects. He termed services of consultant, contractor and engineers as remarkable.
Provincial Secretary Khalid Pervez and Project Director Sajjad Ahmad Khan presented a briefing on background of the project.
It is pertinent to mention here that agriculture production of the area stood at 8780 metric ton. Entire distributaries of Baizai Irrigation scheme will complete by June that will enhance volume of agriculture production of the area to 260834 metric ton. The project will cost Rs.3400.661 million and will irrigate 25000 acre barren land out of which 20000 acre land was that of district Mardan and 5000 acre from Malakand. The total length of main Canal is 39.092 with 21 total distributaries and minors and three tunnels having length 1626 kilometers. The water flow from it will be 200 cusecs. Meanwhile, the CM offered shields and certificates to secretary irrigation, project director, engineers and consultant.
Secretary Irrigation Khalid Pervez, Sher Akbar Khan from Chief Minister Camp office Mardan and Coordinator Javed Yousafzai were also present on the occasion. The Chief Minister lauded the efforts of Project Director Sajjad Ahmad Khan and other Engineers on realizing this project for agriculture development in the area and awarded them honorary certificates on behalf of the provincial government.
CM approves free angiography, angioplasty service for poor patients: Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Amir Haider Khan Hoti has approved provision of free cardiac angiography and angioplasty service to poor heart patients and directed for provision of Rs. 60 million to three major hospitals of the province Lady Reading Hospital Peshawar, Ayub Teaching hospital Abbottabad and HMC Peshawar, in this connection.
It merits a mention here that angiography and angioplasty service centers were available in Lady Reading Hospital Peshawar, and Ayub Teaching hospital Abottabad but patients can't benefit from these centers to its full because patients can't fulfill its heavy fee and funds were not available for their free treatment.
The present government established another center in HMC Peshawar last month. Now the number of such center rose to three and the chief minister directed for provision of Rs. 60 million to these centers out of which 25 million each will be provided to Lady Reading Hospital Peshawar, and HMC Peshawar while Ayub Teaching hospital Abbottabad will be provided Rs. 10 million. The CM directed for selection of poor patient for availing this service can be done through one window operation and the selection process can be done through tight scrutiny and audit from time to time in order that poor and deserving patients can benefit from this facility.
CM okays Rs30m for dialysis centers: Meanwhile, the CM also approved provision of Rs. 30 million to seven dialysis centers in the province for free dialysis services to kidney patients. It merits a mention here that this step was part of government special initiatives of the present government.

Better canal system to boost agriculture sector in KP: Hoti

[Michin Khel]

There is also another dam for southern districts of KP, kuram tangi in north waziristan, it is under-construction. The dam will irrigate more than 362,000 acres of land and provide 350 million units of low-cost electricity