Pakistan has urged China to disburse $ 700 million loan, pledged for small and medium sized dams, that would enable mobilisation of contractors in an effort to mitigate the ongoing water and power shortages, Business Recorder has learnt.
The government of Pakistan and Chinese Exim Bank have already signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for $700 million credit line as buyer's credit for construction of small and medium sized dams. The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) of Planning Commission in its meeting in July 2009 had approved 12 small and medium sized dams.
Sources in Economic Affairs Division (EAD) told Business Recorder that a delegation from Pakistan had recently visited China. During talks, Pakistan side requested Chinese authorities to immediately release the pledged sum of $700 million for construction of small and medium dams.
The government has planned construction of 12 small and medium dams in four provinces in the first phase. The Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) has been assigned the task of constructing these 12 dams including Hingol Dam, Naulong Dam, Garuk Dam, Pelar Dam and Winder Dam in Balochistan province, and Nai Gaj Dam, Darwat Dam and Sita Dam in Sindh; Bara Dam and Daraban Zam Dam in NWFP and Ghabir Dam and Papin Dam in Punjab, for which the Authority has invited bids.
According to sources, bids for construction of 2 dams--Winder and Darwat--had been received and contract were awarded. The bids for Ghabir Dam had also been received, which are being evaluated.
Under the Prime Minister's special initiatives programmes for overcoming water and power shortages, seven dams will be built in Sindh at a cost of Rs 12.640 billion, eight dams in NWFP costing Rs 18.135 billion, seven dams in Balochistan at a cost of Rs 29.568 billion and six dams in Punjab for Rs 5.949 billion.
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