NWFP Governor Lieutenant General Syed Iftikhar Hussain Shah (Retd) performed the ground-breaking of Maidani small dam in Kurram Agency as part of the government's plan to construct 12 small dams in different tribal agencies.
The dam costing Rs 134.27 million would irrigate 1,100 acres land in the lower Kurram area. The project would be completed by April 2006.
In a briefing on the occasion, the NWFP governor was informed that it would be an earth-filled dam having 66 ft. height and water reservoir capacity up to 2,975 maf, with 35.09 sq. km catchment area and 9,960 cusecs spillway discharge.
The governor directed the executing agency to cut down the completion period and complete the project as early as possible.
Later, addressing the tribal elders, Iftikhar said the government plans to start the construction of at least six small dams in Fata by June this year, whereas the remaining six would be launched shortly.
The NWFP governor, however, said it is not the end, but efforts will continue to identify more sites for the construction of dams where the water would be available and try to provide maximum resources to construct as much dams as possible.
The governor also inaugurated a community Farm project at Lalmai, about 10-km from Parachinar, saying the farm that is spread over an area of 500 acres, where fruit plants of different varieties are planted through the community co-operation.
The governor also approved a drinking water project on the spot through which 20 tube-wells would be installed, saying that funds for this purpose would be shortly released. Besides this, he said, more tube-wells would also he installed during next year to remove scarcity of water.
The NWFP governor also announced that the establishment of small hydel power projects in the area was also under active consideration of the government, where the water resources were available the respective community could be provided electricity facility free of cost by establishing small hydel power projects.