13 dams approved to ease water crisis

Construction of three mini dams also approved in major public forests

RAWALPINDI:

The Punjab Small Dams Organisation and the Forest, Wildlife and Fisheries Department have approved the construction of 13 new dams in the Rawalpindi Division in addition to three mini-dams in major public forests for the new fiscal year 2023-24.

Sources said while the dams have been included in the Annual Development Programme, they will cost a total of Rs22.857 billion.

The tenders for the three dams have been issued. The mini-dam will be built by storing rainwater in the dense forests of Kotli Sattian, Kahuta and Murree.

The catchment areas of these mini dams will be the forests.

In the fresh ADP, five new dams will be constructed in the Rawalpindi district, namely Papin Dam, Mujahid Dam, Mahota Dam and Dadocha Dam while a water supply scheme has been devised from Chahan Dam.

Papin Dam will be built in Chak Baili Khan for Rs5 billion.

It will irrigate 5,000 acres of land. Mahota Dam will be built on the vast land of Union Council Raika. It will cost about Rs3.5 billion and its tender has been issued. It will irrigate 4,500 acres of land.

Mujahid Dam will be built within the limits of Chontra Police Station at a cost of Rs3.75 billion and will irrigate 3,700 acres of land. Dadocha Dam will be built in the Kallar Syedan area with an estimated cost of Rs3.5 billion.

Rawalpindi Commissioner Liaquat Ali Chattha has also issued instructions for immediate settlement of legal disputes and compensation to the affected land. All five dams will be completed in a period of two to three years, he said.

Meanwhile, Mehraser Dam, Taman Dam and Gabar Dam in District Chakwal have also been included in the ADP.

A water supply scheme has been approved in the large lake of Dharabi. Sora Dam, Sandrial Dam and Bara Dam will be constructed in District Attock while Pandori Dam has been approved in District Jhelum which will cost Rs1.5 billion.

All the new dams have been included in the new ADP and half of the funds have been allocated which will be spent from July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024.

Addressing a meeting in connection with the construction of new dams, the commissioner said the underground water level was continuously decreasing due to which the tube well was no longer a solution to the problems of water shortage.

“We have to turn to dams and mini-dams to meet our water needs,” he said.

“One mini dam will be compulsorily constructed in each of the four districts of the division and for all 27 tehsils a state-of-the-art amusement park will also be constructed to complement each of the dams,” he added. “Each dam will also have recreation and boating facilities.”

The commissioner said all species of native fishes, frogs and earthworms will also be released in all dams for waterfowl.

“Each dam will also be planted with valuable food, wetlands and favourite food plants and herbs for waterfowl that migrate every winter from Siberia,” he claimed and added that contracts for the construction of three dams in Rawalpindi district will be awarded by June 20.

Experts say the groundwater level in Rawalpindi has plummeted while the water supply from Rawal and Khanpur dams has been slashed amidst high consumption of the vital commodity.

In addition to this, the rapidly growing population, rising temperatures in the summers, and incessant droughts have made the construction of these dams crucial.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 3^rd, 2023.