WAPDA all set to construct dam in Chiniot

Project will help mitigate floods and produce 69 megawatts of electricity.

FAISALABAD: The Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) is all set to construct a dam in Chiniot, some 100 meters upstream of existing railways bridge on River Chenab.

Officials told The Express Tribune the homogenous earthfill dam will be 55 feet in height and will have 1.0 MAF live storage capacity of water. In addition, it would also help in producing 69 megawatts of electricity that would be added to the national grid.



They revealed that Rs136.724 million were spent on the preparation of the feasibility report of the dam and it would be constructed in four years time. They said the project was initially identified about two decades ago; however the formal feasibility was conducted in March 2015.

The project was approved by the Central Development Working Party (CDWP) and its funding will be provided by WAPDA and the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP). While speaking to The Express Tribune, a WAPDA spokesman said, “This project is of immense importance for mitigating floods which hit Chiniot each year and cause huge loss of lives and to the national exchequer.”

“Besides saving the area from the floods, it would also prove instrumental in storing the direly needed water for agriculture, for boosting the agricultural economy and low-cost electricity generation,” he added.



The official pointed out that after the discovery of iron, copper and gold reserves in Chiniot, the significance of the project had increased manifold. Meanwhile, local farmers and growers have expressed reservations over the project and opined that they would lose a significant portion of their land due to the construction of the dam.

They said the government should devise a plan to facilitate the farming community and address their grievances. When contacted, the officials concerned told The Express Tribune that they would hold meeting with the representatives of farmers and would apprise them regarding benefits of the project.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, July 24^th, 2017.