Senators irked by idle desalination plant in Balochistan

Ask departments concerned to present a detailed report before committee

QUETTA: The Senate Standing Committee on Planning, Development and Reforms here on Thursday expressed its annoyance over the non-functioning of two million gallons desalination plant at Karwat in Gwadar and asked the department concerned of the provincial government of Balochistan to submit a detailed report.

The committee, which met here with Senator Agha Shahzaib Khan Durrani in the chair, observed that after spending an amount of Rs1 billion from the national exchequer on the project meant to supply clean drinking water, it was still non-functional.

The chairman directed the Ministry of Planning, Development and Reforms to hold an inquiry about the project and submit a detailed report before the committee.

Durrani said that due to absence of proper water supply facilities, the public was forced to buy water for daily consumption from the tankers and the tanker mafia was earning billions of rupees.

Meanwhile, officials of the planning ministry informed the committee that the matter was already in the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) which was conducting inquiry to fix responsibility for criminal negligence and wastage of public money.

The committee was also informed that an amount of Rs2 billion was released for the construction of Naulong Dam in district Jhal Magsi under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) 2012-13 but the project was not executed.

It was further informed that Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) had frozen the amount which was released for the construction of dam to Water and Power Development Authority.

The committee asked the Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) to submit details of funds which were provided by the federal government and still not disbursed for any project.

The adviser to Planning Commission briefed about details of funds released for different developmental projects and apprised the meeting that Rs60.464 billion was released during the period from July 2018 to October 2019.

Senators Dilawar Khan, Hidayatullah, senior officials of the provincial government, Ministry of Planning Development and Water Resource Development and WAPDA member were present in the meeting.