Sunday, September 09, 2007
By Mehtab Haider
ISLAMABAD: The Balochistan government has informed the federal government that Pat Feeder and Kirthar Canal were in place but due to limited available financial resources the structure could not be put to the maximum use.
According to the official document available with The News, Quetta Water Supply Scheme has witnessed surge in its cost by four times as it was initially estimated at Rs 7.965 billion, which was later revised to Rs 29 billion. The official document states the water resources in Balochistan could play an important role but due to the limited financial resources, the province could never think of developing these resources.
According to an estimate, around 12 Million Acre Feet of water is wasted as flood run off yearly. “The federal government is now planning to construct 200 small dams in Balochistan with phase-wise approach, which will double the present cultivated area in 3 to 5 years,” the document added. Besides, few more potential sites like Porali and Nawa-Batozai dams had become part of the federal investment.
The provincial government states that the present government not only invested a huge amount for the extension of canals but also started physical work on it. The Kacchi canal, according to the Balochistan government, at a cost of Rs 31.204 billion would ensure 7, 13,000 acres under cultivation after completion of its phase-1 by December 2008.
The construction costs of Kacchi canal has increased by more than 100% and it will also be delayed against its envisaged deadline. The Sabakzai dam would bring under cultivation 8,300 acres and Mirani dam 32,800 acres. Pat Feder Rabi Canal would irrigate more than 150,000 acres. All this was done in a short span of 3 to 4 years period, the document states.
The cost of Sabakzai dam stands at 1,576.550 million and it will be completed by December 2007. Balochistan Effluent Disposal will cost Rs 4.485 billion and its completion deadline is June 2009. For improvement of watercourses in Balochistan, the total cost is Rs 5.060 billion, which will be completed by June 2008.
Regarding provincial government achievements on water front, the report says about 140 small dams throughout the province have been constructed during the last three to four year period. In drought mitigation interventions, the federal government has helped the province through an investment of Rs 7 billion.
President Musharraf sanctioned 1,215 tube-wells out of which 1,110 have been constructed during the last three years. A new phase of drought mitigation investment “DERA-II” has been approved and its implementation has started on the ground, which will bring about Rs 8 billion investment in the province in the next four years.
http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=71598 |
