From Abid Usman
LAHORE: In a bid to utilize water resources in an efficient manner, the Punjab government on Sunday signed an agreement to build small and intermediate dams in the province.
According to details, the memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between the provincial Irrigation ministry and NESPAK in a ceremony, which was also attended by CM Punjab Usman Buzdar.
Under the MoU, a feasibility study would be carried out using modern drone technique for the construction of small and intermediate dams at 13 hill torrents. Shedding light on the project, CM Punjab Usman Buzdar said that the pilot project for the construction of the reservoirs would begin in June this year.
“The water reservoirs will help in providing water to 200,000 acres of land, besides also minimizing the impact and losses from floods,” he said. It is pertinent to mention here that other than Punjab province, small and big dams have been planned and established in other parts of the country also to ensure better utilization of water resources.
According to a report, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 25 small dams have been completed in different areas to store flood and rainwater during monsoon for irrigation and drinking purposes in July 2019.
Radio Pakistan reported that nine dams, including Gandyaley, Chanday Fatehay Khan and Auxilliary Kandar dams in Kohat, Azakhel in Peshawar, Naryab in Hangu, Sharki and Changhoz dam in Karak, Darganatu in Bannu and Jalozai dam in Nowshera have been completed under the annual development program during 2002 to 2019.
Similarly, nine water reservoirs inlcuding Lawaghar, Karak, Ghole Banda and Mardankhel dams in Karak, Khari Bara in Haripur, Jabba Khattak in Nowshera, Palai in Charsadda, Darmalak in Kohat and Kundal dam in Swabi have been completed under the Public Sector Development Programme during 2003 to 2019.
Earlier, The Punjab government plans to construct four small dams to harvest hill torrents of Koh-i-Sulaiman area and Chief Minister Usman Buzdar gave in-principle approval for the spade work and construction of these reservoirs.
Chairing a meeting at his office on Tuesday, where the irrigation secretary apprised him of different matters related to the dams’ construction, the chief minister stated that the Punjab government was pondering over different options for building small dams as such water reservoirs are need of the hour.
