Uplift of local populace: Wapda spending Rs100bn in project areas

LAHORE: The Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) has been spending a hefty amount of over Rs 100 billion in the project areas for progress and prosperity of the local populace, said spokesman of the Authority.

He said this amount is being utilized on confidence building measures (CBM) in the project areas of four under construction projects of Wapda namely Diamer Basha Dam, Mohmand Dam, Dasu and Tarbela 5th Extension to complete various development schemes.

These schemes, he added, relate to resettlement of the affectees, health, education and infrastructure development etc to bring in a positive change in life style of the people hailing from far-flung and backward areas, which fall very low in human development index. Injecting Rs 100 billion by Wapda in development schemes will help improve the human development index tremendously in these backward areas, he said.

According to the spokesman, a sum of Rs 78.5 billion has been allocated to implement development schemes in the Diamer Basha Dam project area for social and economic uplift of the people. The dam is being constructed across River Indus 40-Km downstream Chilas Town of Gilgit-Baltistan with gross water storage capacity of 8.1 MAF and installed power generation capacity of 4500 MW.

Similarly, he said, Rs 4.57 billion has been allocated to undertake development schemes in the Mohmand Dam project area for health, education, drinking water and infrastructure development.

The dam is being built across River Swat in Tribal District Mohmand of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with gross water storage capacity of 1.2 MAF and power generation capacity of 800 MW.

He said Wapda is also spending Rs 17.35 billion in the remote area of Dasu Hydropower Project for completion of development schemes on resettlement, social development and environment management to alleviate poverty from the project area. The Dasu Hydropower Project Stage-I is being executed across River Indus in District Kohistan of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with installed power generation capacity of 2160 MW.

He said though no resettlement is involved in the construction of Tarbela 5th Extension Hydropower Project, yet Rs 298 million has been earmarked for development of the people in the project area as confidence building measures.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021