Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Power and Irrigation, Sikandar Hayat Khan Sherpao, said here on Friday that the extension project of Pehur High Level Canal (PHLC) would be completed at the cost Rs 4,780 million. He was addressing a gathering at the project site after receiving a detailed briefing about the project in district Swabi.
Chairman of Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao presided while MPAs Sheraz Khan, Miraj Humayun, Abdul Karim Thordher, Secretary Irrigation, Muhammad Akbar Khan, Chief Engineer Riaz Khan and officers of the district irrigation were also present on the occasion.
Sherpao said that the extension project will usher in an era of economic progress and prosperity as an estimated area of over 25,000 acrs will be irrigated with the completion of the project. "The PHLC extension would bring 'green revolution' in the district because thousands kanals' infertile land to be irrigated," he said. Sikandar Sherpao directed the irrigation authorities to include in the extension plan the remaining barren land, left over from this project, predicting if all the infertile land in the area gets the irrigation facility it would be helpful in making the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province self-sufficient in wheat production.
"The Pehur High level Canal extension is a long standing demand of the people of the district but the former rulers brushed aside their genuine requirement. However, the present government, keeping in view the importance of the project included it in the current year annual development programme and an amount of Rs 3 billion has been earmarked for the project in the current financial year.
The Provincial Minister disclosed that the Asian Development Bank has also shown interest in the project and we are also looking for other funding sources to complete the project in time. "It is our utmost desire that this project should be completed as soon as possible," he said.
He said KPK has passed through very difficult situation and the big problem is that no one is ready to invest here due to continued 'war on terror'. The militancy-hit province, he said very far from the Karachi sea port which badly crippled the industrial growth. "At present only the agriculture sector has the potential to be developed and its development could provide self-employment to the thousand families, heralding prosperity and progress," he said.
He said at present 18MW power is generated from the Pehur Hydro-power complex and with the extension of this project the total generation could be enhanced up to 25MW. He also visited the hydro-power complex and control room where Managing Director of the complex briefed him about the project.
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