Escapages downstream Kotri: water ministry ready to initiate feasibility study

Removing Sindh's reservations after 13-years, Ministry of Water & Power is all set to initiate feasibility study for Rs 204 million World Bank funded projects-Escapages at downstream Kotri and its environmental concerns, by end of this month.
The decision was taken to effectively address the issue of sea intrusion and other environmental damages in Sindh Province under the Water Rapprochement Accord 1991 among the provinces.
Federal Minister for Water and Power, Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao stated this while talking to a group of selected journalists here on Monday.
It is pertinent to mention here that on March 21, 1991, the Council of Common Interests (CCI) had underlined the need to carry out study for minimising the escapages to sea below Kotri to check sea intrusion, Sherpao remarked.
The Minister further said that CCI, in another meeting in the same year, had asked the authorities that the proposed study should be carried out by an international expert panel to establish minimum escapages needs down stream Kotri.
In response to a question, Aftab Sherpao maintained that the bids for these projects would be invited in next couple of weeks through advertisements in national dallies in consultation with the Ministry of Finance, Law & Justice.
The WB mission has been requested to finalise terms of references (ToRs) for comprehensive study of these projects, he said adding that the studies would be completed in six to ten months.
However, he expressed optimism that it is a step towards confidence building and would ultimately pave the way to create consensus among the federal government and the provinces to construct big water reservoirs in the country.
Briefing the reporters, the minister said that government of Pakistan with the assistance of World Bank (WB) would also constitute an expert advisory panel of three members. The names of around 8 to 10 experts will be considered for the panel, out of which three members will be selected with mutual agreement, he said. Sherpao added that the bank has already expressed its willingness unofficially.
Replying to another query, he said that it might be possible that all the panel members would be from Pakistan. Sherpao while referring to the Constitutional position said the need for certain minimum escapages to sea, below Kotri, to check sea intrusion was recognised under section 7 of the 1991 accord.
Now after 13 years, he said, the government has decided to carry out the study.
To meet the shortages of about 2000 MW electricity of Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC), Water & Power Minister said that work on KESC-Hub transmission line is underway and would be completed soon to cater the needs of the metropolitan.
He said that government is importing nearly 340 gas-fired power plants from Abu Dhabi to fill the power shortage gap, out of which eight plants of 120 MW will be installed in Korangi Site area.
Abu Dhabi government is donating these plants, the Minister said adding however Pakistan would have to bear only transportation and installation cost. These would also be introduced in Faisalabad and Lahore, he said. Under the finance improvement scheme, nearly 12 grid stations would be set up in Karachi, Sherpao told the media men present.
The Water & Power Minister said that Domail-Dawood Khail power transmission line, which is being installed at a cost of Rs one billion, would be ready in one month, which will improve the power voltage in Southern districts of the NWFP.