PESHAWAR: In yet another significant move towards hydro development in the country, the Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) on Thursday signed an agreement worth Rs 611.50 million, with a joint venture for preparation of detailed engineering design and tender documents of Munda Dam Multipurpose Project here at Governor's House.
Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Barrister Masood Kausar, Speaker Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Karamtullah Khani, FATA parliamentarians, tribal elders, political elites and officials attended the signing ceremony.
The joint venture, comprising Pakistani, Australian and Japanese firms has been assigned to complete the task in two years. Briefing the participants on salient feature of Munda Dam project, it was stated that the Dam was proposed to be constructed on Swat River about 5 kilometer upstream of Munda Head works in Mohmand Agency.
The project on completion would mitigate floods, develop irrigated agriculture and generate hydro power with installed capacity of 740 MW to add around 2407 million units of energy on annual basis to the total energy production.
It was further stated that Munda Dam was a priority project in the wake of floods 2010 that played havoc in the country particularly Charsadda and Nowshera districts.
After completion of detailed engineering design in two years, Munda Dam project will enter in construction phase, which is estimated to cost US $ 1401 million and will be completed in 7 year period.
The project will store 1.29 million acre feet of water and also 300 million cubic meter floods of river Swat, restricting accumulation of its peak flows with that of rive Kabul.
Annual benefits of the project have been calculated at Rs. 20.2 billion. AFD of France has shown interest to provide financial assistance for design as well as construction phase of the project.
The Governor Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Barrister Masood Kausar while addressing the ceremony described the Munda Dam Multipurpose project a significant headway towards FATA development adding that it will open more avenues of progress and prosperity in Mohmand Agency in particular.
He said that it was the second mega project initiated in FATA in three months period the first being the Kurram Tangi Dam. This, he added was a clear manifestation that peace had been restored in FATA where more such projects would be taken in hand shortly.
He said that the President and the Prime Minister had set very candid priorities with regard to FATA that included restoration of peace and initiation of a fast pace development process to benefit the common tribesmen.
He said that FATA was no more a terrorist hideout rather now it was a peaceful area and the tribal people were as patriotic and peace loving as other Pakistanis.
He said that terrorism was imposed on the tribesmen that badly damaged the soft image of FATA but now the situation was improving.
The Governor thanked the International community and friendly countries and organizations for their generous assistance in the FATA development and hoped that they will continue to play their role in this regard.
The ceremony was also addressed To: Subject: Re: Aaj TV anchor Wajahat S Khan facing threats This comment was in very poor taste. A death threat is a very serious matter and not something that can be dismissed so lightly.
Especially in an environment where several journalists have been targeted in recent years and especially given that some of the groups involved in Difa-e-Pakistan rallies do have a well-known track record of violence. by the Chairman Wapda Shakil Durrani and representatives of the respective international firms.
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