Pakistan Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) will construct Pelar and Garuk Dam projects in Balochistan with a view to help alleviate poverty through socio-economic uplift, developing irrigated agriculture in the remote areas of the province.
Pelar Dam Project site is located about 160 kilometres from Awaran town in Awaran district, while Garuk Dam Project is to be constructed some 47 kilometres South East of Kharan town in Kharan district. The two districts are known to be the most under developed districts in Pakistan, where people have yet to reap the benefits of development.
Construction of the two projects will usher in a new era of progress for the local populace, as these projects will help develop cumulative cropped area of 42,000 acres with high efficiency irrigation system. The projects will also generate low-cost hydel electricity. The projects will also be the source of employment generation in the far-flung areas, as about 1,400 job opportunities will be created during construction and operation of the projects.
It is pertinent to mention that WAPDA invited tenders for Pelar and Garuk Dam projects twice in year 2009 and on four different occasions in year 2010, but no response received due to law and order situation in the area. In view of their significance for the locals, WAPDA Chairman Shakil Durrani has proposed that WAPDA would execute both projects through small contractors of the same districts.
WAPDA has planned to depute a strong team of its engineers and consultants for technical and logistic supports in execution of the projects. Construction of the projects will be carried out by bifurcating the works into small components and awarding them to the local contractors. This will not only help complete the projects on one hand, but also develop skills of the local contractors to compete for bigger projects in Pakistan, in future. Government of Pakistan, Government of Balochistan and donor agencies will equally share the project cost.
Pelar and Garuk Dams are amongst those five small and medium-sized dams, WAPDA has planned to construct in Balochistan in line with the Federal Government's resolve to develop backward areas of the province. In addition to Pelar and Garuk dams, these are Naulong Dam in Jhal Magsi, Hingol and Winder dams in Lasbela.
These five projects will store 1.8 million-acre feet of water to irrigate 316,000 acres virgin-cropped area through high efficiency irrigation system. In addition, 6.3 mega watt (MW) low-cost renewable hydel electricity will also be generated to meet the requirement of the local populace. The projects will also be the great source of employment generation in the far-flung areas, as more than 17,000 job opportunities will be created during construction phase, while about 700 during operation of the projects.
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