LAHORE – The Implementation Committee on Diamer Basha and Mohmand Dams(ICDBMD), constituted by Supreme Court of Pakistan, reviewed progress onthe both projects in its meeting on Monday.The meeting, presided over by Pakistan Water and Power DevelopmentAuthority (WAPDA) / ICDBMD Chairman Lt Gen Muzammil Hussain (Retd), wasattended by ICDBMD Members and Co-opted Members including former ChairmanWAPDA Shams-ul-Mulk, Chief Secretary Gilgit-Baltistan, Senior Member Boardof Revenue Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Joint Secretary (Water) Ministry of WaterResources and Secretary ICDBMD, Chief (Water) Planning, Joint SecretaryMinistry of Interior, Joint Secretary (Finance Division), Joint Secretary(EAD), DG (GB) Scouts and Deputy Secretary Prime Minister’s Office,according to WAPDA spokesman here.Addressing the meeting, WAPDA/ICDBMD Chairman expressed satisfaction overthe progress made by the ICDBMD and its Sub-Committees for earlycommencement of construction work on Mohmand Dam Hydropower Project andDiamer-Basha Dam Project. He said that Implementation Committee, incoordination with all stakeholders, had tremendously contributed towardsthe national cause of developing water reservoirs in the country. Hereiterated that the Committee would continue to serve with same zealagainst all odds for accomplishment of the task assigned to it by SupremeCourt.Later, detailed presentations were made on the progress achieved on Mohmandand Diamer Basha Dams. The participants were also briefed about thefinancial plans of the two projects.The meeting was informed that the procedure for procurement of civil andelectro-mechanical works for Mohmand Dam Hydropower Project is continuingin accordance with Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) rules andPakistan Engineering Council (PEC) provisions.
Once the evaluation ofthe technically responsive Joint Venture’sfinancialbid is finalised culminating into award of the contract, the contractor islikely to mobilise in March, whereas preliminary works by WAPDA havealready commenced. The meeting was further informed that the procurement ofconsultancy services for Mohmand Dam is also in process and expected to becompleted next month. Pakistani engineers will play lead role insupervision of the construction work.The Implementation Committee appreciated the progress vis-à-vis acquisitionof land for Mohmand Dam, adding that the support rendered by the localtribes and the efforts made by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa administration and WAPDAare commendable.The Chief Secretary Gilgit Baltistan briefed the meeting that the localshave reposed their full confidence in the Resettlement Action Plan, pavingthe way for completion of land acquisition for Diamer Basha Dam Project.Procurement processes for civil works and consultancy for Diamer Basha Damare already underway.Mohmand Dam’s commencement of civil works in March followed by DIamer BashaDam in later part of 2019 will provide much needed relief in water andhydropower energy security.
