Diamer Basha dam to be completed in 7 years

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Water and Power Syed Naveed Qamar on Friday informed the Senate that physical work on Diamer Basha Dam has already been started and it would be completed in seven years.

Replying to various supplementary questions raised by Senators during Question Hour, he said that land for construction of colonies and other infrastructure has also been acquired and payment was also made to some affectees in the current fiscal year. Remaining payment would be made during the next fiscal year, he added.

He said that WAPDA has prepared a master plan to construct a number of storages including Diamer Basha, Munda and Kurram Tangi dams in near future besides early completion of Mangla Raising Project and Gomal Zam dams.

WAPDA was also undertaking construction of small and medium dams in all the four provinces.

The minister said that some funds were released last week for Kurram Tangi dam and would be completed in next three years. The USAID has also shown interest to provide assistance for the project, he added.

He said soon consultant would be appointed for the Munda Dam. To another question, the Minister said that Alternative Energy Development Board (AEDB) was created in May 2003 and Rs.893.53 million was allocated under various budgetary heads during the last 8 years to it.

Copyright APP (Associated Press of Pakistan), 2012