PM to inaugurate Darawat Dam

The construction of the dam began in January, 2012.

HYDERABAD: Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf is expected to inaugurate the Darawat Dam next week, said the Jamshoro Deputy Commissioner Agha Suhail Ahmed on Thursday, while visiting the site to review the arrangements.

The dam, located some 70 kilometres off Hyderabad, on the border of Thatta and Jamshoro in Jhangri village, is a component of the Water and Power Development Authority’s plan to build small and medium-sized dams to meet the irrigation and electricity requirements.

Its construction began in January, 2012 after President Asif Ali Zardari laid the foundation stone. The initial estimated cost of Rs8.73 billion was revised to Rs9.3 billion.



According to the project director, Gul Mohammad Junejo, the dam will irrigate 25,000 acres and is expected to create 4,500 jobs. The Sindh government has planned to distribute 50,000 acres for cultivation among the landless peasants.

The dam’s water reservoir consists of 10,500 acres while the size of its catchment area is 3,149 square metres. It will have the storage capacity of 150 million cubic feet and its irrigation network, which includes a canal, minors, distributaries and sub-minors, will be spread over 64 kilometres.

Darawat dam will be filled by rain water and through the Nai Baran seasonal drain, which has a capacity of 89,177 acre feet.

Tian Tnetifis, an engineer of the construction company, Sinohydro Corporation China, briefed the DC about completion of the project.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 1^st, 2013.