Dam renovation deal signed for 1b Saudi riyals

Money will be used to increase the capacity of dams.

MULTAN: Saudi Arabia will provide one billion riyals to Pakistan for renovation and strengthening of dams and barrages in southern Punjab which will make them capable of absorbing floodwater, sources said.

The height of these dams and barrages will be increased by seven feet which will enhance their storage capacity to 300,000-400,000 cusecs. The increase in capacity will protect southern Punjab from floods as the recent deluge displaced more than 8.5 million people of lower Punjab, damaged 3.5 million houses and killed 3.2 million livestock.

Chief Engineer Irrigation Department Iftikhar Ahmed has directed the officials concerned to immediately prepare a PC-1 for the project. Vacations of irrigation department officials have been cancelled and all staff has been directed to work on Sundays as well in order to draw up a plan as soon as possible.

Following the implementation of the project, total water storage capacity of dams and barrages will increase to 1.1 million cusecs in lower Punjab, especially the rural belt connecting Punjab to Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh and Balochistan.

The enginnering wing of Pakistan Army and the National Highway Authority will monitor all dam construction and strengthening work.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 8^th, 2011.