Amraiz Khan
Following award of the contract for construction of main dam of Diamer Basha Dam Project last week, the Pakistan Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) Chairman Lt-Gen Muzammil Hussain (retd) Tuesday visited the project site to review on ground arrangements for ensuring timely mobilisation of the contractor to the project site.
Speaking on the occasion, the chairman said that on-time commencement of construction work on Diamer Basha Dam Project is the top most priority of WAPDA in addition to putting an effective follow-up mechanism in place for smooth implementation of the project. He said that the project is of phenomenal significance and destined to change fate of the nation.
The project will also unfold an era of progress and prosperity for the local populace in the project area, he added. He said that Diamer Basha Dam with gross water storage capacity of 8.1 million acre feet (MAF) and power generation capacity of 4500 mega watt (MW) will go a long way in stabilizing the economy.
The project will also prove to be instrumental in developing the human resources and creating employment opportunity in the country. As many as 16,500 job opportunities of engineers and allied staff will be made available at the national and local levels, he further said.
Paying homage to the sacrifices being made by the locals for construction of Daimer Basha Dam Project, he said that a sum of Rs.78.5 billion is being spent for resettlement and confidence building measures (CBMs) leading towards socio-economic development in the area. He expressed satisfaction over completion of as many as 44 development schemes for improving the existing water supply, irrigation, health and education infrastructures. He said that construction of Chillas Cadet College under the CBMs is nearing completion which will help provide quality education to the local students. In addition, Thak Hydropower Project of 3 MW is also about to be completed to meet the electricity requirements of the area.
Earlier during the visit, Diamer Basha Dam General Manager Amir Bashir Chaudhry briefed the Chairman about various developments on the project.
