PESHAWAR – Mohmand Dam, a multidimensional hydropowerproject of Federal Government, will supply around 13.32 millioncubic clean drinking water to Peshawar besides generating 800megawatt low cost electricity for agriculture, domestic and industrialconsumptions.
“Mohmand Dam has been declared most feasible project byNESPAK in the feasibility study for the much-awaited ‘Greater WaterSupply Scheme (GWSS)’ designed to provide clean drinking water toresidents of Peshawar,” officials in Public Health EngineeringDepartment told APP on Sunday.
Keeping in view of enormous benefits, WAPDA has decided to go aheadwith this mega projects and inauguration of its ground breakingceremony would soon be performed.
Mohmand dam would be constructed on River Swat about 48 kilometersfrom Peshawar in Mohmand tribal district and would be completed infive and eight months.
It will generate about 800 megawatt low cost hydel electricity besidesstorage reservoir of about 1594 million cubic meter water with annualbenefits of about Rs51.6 billion.
The official said water experts analyzed different options for supplyof water to Peshawar from Warsak, Munda, Bara and Jabba dams anddeclared Mohmand Dam is the best option for execution of GWSS.
Mohmand dam’s site is located both in Shabqadar Charsadda and Mohmandtribal district whereas Warsak Dam is in Mohmand tribal districtadjacent to the settle areas of Peshawar while Jabba and Bara damswould be built in Khyber district.
“The height of Mohmand Dam is technically most feasible as water willflow to all targeted areas without pumping. Mohmand dam’s operationalcost is also lower than other dams and its water is also clean compareto Warsak dam as water of the latter is mostly silty,” he maintained.
The official said around 70pc population of Peshawar has been coveredby Water Sanitation and Services Project and 30 percent by PublicHealth Engineering Department, saying 221million gallon water per dayis being provided to consumers.
He said around 144 million gallons per day additional water would berequired for ever growing population of Peshawar by 2030.
The completion of Mohmand dam would help fulfill water needs of peopletill 2050 besides overcome shortage of clean water in rural areas ofthe provincial capital.
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It will also help address issue of dropping of water table in Peshawardue to rapid establishment of tube-wells and massive misuse of waterin car washing centres and other industrial and domestic consumptionand will preserve underground water for upcoming generation.
Mohmand dam construction will help national power policy achieve thedual goals of meeting Pakistan’s energy needs in a sustainable mannerand ensuring generation of affordable electricity, while helping toreduce existing energy’s supply gap.
The construction of 213 meter high Mohmand dam will alleviate risk ofsuch flood damages to great extend and its reservoir would also storeriver flows and minimize intensity of floods downstream.
This project will lead to enhance the agricultural capacity andproduction at downstream through raising two canals at Charsaddadistrict.
PC-I of Mohmand dam hydropower project amounting to Rs.309.556 billion including land acquisition and resettlement, wasapproval by ECNEC.
Asked about land acquisition and resettlement, the official said atotal of 8675 acres land would be acquired for construction ofrequisite infrastructure at the dam site besides 56 kilometers longreservoir, irrigation network and re-regulation pondarea.
WAPDA has signed a formal agreement with tribal elders for acquiringland for the dam projects under the supervision of districtadministration.
The agreement pertaining to rates for acquiring land has also beenendorsed by the Sub Committee on Land Acquisition and Resettlement ofMohmand Dam Project formed under the Implementation Committee on Dams.
