TANK: Deputy Speaker National Assembly, Faisal Kareem Kundi rejected the news suggesting that Federal government was abandoning the gigantic Chashma Right Bank Canal (Gravity-cum Lift-I) project in view of rising premonitions of Sind province.
Talking to APP, he said rather the PPP-led coalition government was serious in completion of all the projects in the pipe-line.
Deputy Speaker informed that sincere efforts by Prime Minister, Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister, Ameer Haider Khan Hoti made possible realizing a long last dream of the region.
About Rs 80 billion would be spent on the construction of gigantic public uplift scheme.
Deputy Speaker National Assembly Faisal Kareem Kundi once again reiterated the government's commitment for expeditious implementation of major irrigation scheme, CRBC (Gravity, cum Lift-I).
He said the government was also pursuing gas supply projects in Tank, D.I.Khan and other southern districts of Khyber Pakthunkhwa on fast track basis.
To a question, Kundi categorically assured that federal government was not pressurized either by "Sind" or Punjab provinces to abandon the major irrigation plan of CRBC, which will usher the area into a new era of prosperity and ensure food security for the province as well.
Explaining delays in the construction work of the scheme, Kundi informed that non availability of funds was virtually impeding the construction of plan.
To another question, Kundi clarified that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government was also in contact with World Bank for fund arrangement.
He further clarified that even Punjab, the major beneficiary of surplus water, had no objection to the execution of plan.
The construction of CRBC was recommended by the then government in 2001 inline with Water Vision 2010. But the lack of funds as well as bureaucratic hurdles put impediments in the way of realizing the much awaited public uplift scheme.
Subsequently, the project was formally put in Public Sector Development Program (PSDP) after approval in 2005 but it could not be materialized by the federal government owing to inadequacy of funds, In 2006 the construction cost of the project was estimated at Rs 25 billion.
In the absence of appropriate water management system and lack of resources, the considerable amount of water as per Indus River System could not be used by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Similarly, as per a careful assessment some 1.187 MAF water could be use by the KP province for operating CRBC (Lift-I) which is currently used by Punjab.
In April 2005 declaration of IRSA (Indus River System), K.P had been entitled to get 1.187 MAF water out of its due 8.78 MAF water share in accordance with the Inter-provincial Water Accord 1991.
The experts suggest that inadequate irrigation infrastructure in the province was not allowing the use of entire water share and even the CRBC (Gravity-cum-I) is to be constructed, the province might be still not able to use 1.103 MAF, its water share.
A latest development in realizing the project reveals that ANP led provincial government is serious to launch the 117.48 kilometers long Chashma Lift Canal scheme. Sources in the civil secretariat have also confirmed to this scribe that World Bank has pledged to extend financial.
Assistance to materialize the plan which earlier had gone into cold storage the provincial government according to sources, is in close contact with the federal government for its clearance.
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