Economic uplift: FATA’s barren lands may now be cultivable

New dams in Khyber, Mohmand and Waziristan will provide potable water in areas where there is none.

PESHAWAR:

There are hopes for a greener, healthier tribal belt with multiple dam projects in the pipeline.

In Khyber Agency, the small Cheek dam is being constructed in Ghani Khel area of Landikotal tehsil. Its construction started in 2011 with an estimated cost of Rs20 million sanctioned by the Fata Secretariat’s irrigation department.

The 35 feet wide and 430 feet deep structure has the capacity to irrigate 100 acres.

Awal Khan, the irrigation department’s deputy director, said three dams have so far been planned for Khyber Agency and construction has started. “85% of the work has been completed on the Cheek dam, which is expected to be up and running by June next year,” he added. The other two, which were approved the same year, cost Rs12 million and will be completed by 2015.

These dams are expected to increase the levels of subsurface water and will help meet residents’ demands for irrigation and potable water.

Waqar Shinwari, a resident of Landikotal, was happy with the completion of the dam and claimed it would unleash a green revolution and make people’s lives prosperous. The dam will not only resolve water shortages, but also store rainwater for later use, he added.

In April 2011, the irrigation department had initiated work on constructing the Khunaray Dam in Murad Dand Mullagori area of the agency. Built under the Fata Secretariat’s Delayed Action Programme with a total cost of Rs107 million, it was completed in March 2012.

The Khunaray Dam was built to minimise damage caused by floods and boost agriculture output in the area. The dam has benefited Shah Gae Thana, Ghuwanae, lower Murad Dand, upper Murad Dand and parts of Jandae Baba.

The site where the dam is built is surrounded by uncultivated land, where people face severe water shortages for agriculture and drinking. The dam will now allow the irrigation of approximately 280 acres of land.

According to the irrigation department, Khunaray can irrigate up to six hectares during droughts. Awal said the dam’s structure is built on approximately 9.4 sq kilometers and has a storage capacity to irrigate 19 hectares. It has a 50-year feasibility and a 4,500 feet long canal has been constructed to provide water for agricultural needs.

The Jabba dam, which is being constructed in Khyber Agency’s Jamrud tehsil, is expected to be completed by 2017. It will allow the cultivation of an estimated 20,000 acres of land and is expected to prevent disasters caused by floods.

According to the FDA, Jabba costs Rs320 million, but its cost could increase over time. Once completed, it is projected to provide one million people with clean drinking water and store up to 38,000 gallons of water. Water from Chora and Khyber Stream will be stored here.

“We are currently facing financial constraints and request donor agencies for assistance”, said Fata Secretariat Additional Director Ateeq Bangash. “We may ask the provincial government for finances if donors do not extend a helping hand.”

Mohmand Agency

In Mohmand Agency, the Gandao dam is in the pipeline and construction work is expected to start soon. With an estimated cost of Rs449 million, it is located three kilometres south of Ghallani, the agency’s headquarters.

The Gandao Dam, with a storage capacity of 810 acre feet of water, is expected to provide clean drinking water to 22,000 people in the agency. The dam’s structure is 108 feet long and 106 feet wide and is expected to be completed by next year.

Locals are optimistic and say once the dam is completed, their water woes will end.

“The Gandao dam is a great project that mainly aims to meet drinking water needs and is expected to provide 100,000 gallons of water daily,” said Fata Development Authority’s (FDA) coordinating officer Niaz Bahadar.

Another dam has been built in Yousaf Khel. With an estimated cost of Rs709 million, it will irrigate about 100 acres of land. The government also plans to use the dam as a fish farm and build a rest house for fish farmers.

Scores of other dams are being constructed in Parang Ghar tehsil and Aqrab Dag tehsil, while the one in Maichani has been completed. About 5,670 acres of land in the agency is suitable for agriculture, but with the construction of dams, more land could be brought under cultivation.

North Waziristan

A dam is also being constructed in Shawa Kabal Khel area of North Waziristan. The Kurram Tangi dam, with an estimated cost of up to Rs700 million, will generate 48.4 megawatt of electricity and is one of the largest project being undertaken in terms of power generation in Fata.

Kurram Tangi dam will also enable the irrigation of approximately 84,000 acres of land, which is currently barren and unutilised. According to the Fata Secretariat, the dam’s structure is 320 feet deep and 200 meters long.

North Waziristan Assistant Political Agent Fayaz Khan said the project was first initiated in 1970, but could not be completed.

Abdul Ghani, a resident of Shawal, North Waziristan, claimed the agency’s electricity woes will be addressed once the dam is completed as it will have the capacity to produce enough power to meet local demand. “It will also create jobs and boost the local agro-economy with the availability of water,” he added.

Currently, a hundred of acres of land remains barren due to water scarcity, but this would be utilised once the dam starts supplying water, Ghani said.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 11^th, 2013.