Handover of telemetry system project to Wapda: Irsa expresses reservations over Ministry's intent

ISLAMABAD: Indus River System Authority (Irsa) has reportedly expressed reservations on Ministry of Water Resources reported intent to handover telemetry system installation project to Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda), well informed sources in the Secretary Ministry of Water Resources told Business Recorder.

Ministry of Water Resources, in a letter on April 24, 2020 stated that automation of water discharge monitoring system be installed by Wapda. Accordingly, a copy of draft PC-1, addressed to Chairman, Wapda for necessary action, was also shared with Irsa.

"Irsa has some reservations on this decision in the backdrop of previous experience of installation of telemetry system by Wapda back in 2004-05," the sources added.

Regarding, installation and commissioning of telemetry system back in 2004, Irsa has clarified that the system had some technical problems as Wapda executed the works without the participation of stakeholders. The progress of the telemetry system was not giving the desired results and therefore, the system was outsourced to Wapda in the light of Prime Minister's Inspection Commission of August 17, 2005.

The Cabinet recently constituted a committee under the chairmanship of Deputy Chairman Planning Commission to hold an inquiry into telemetry system sabotage. At least three members of Irsa are facing threat of removal from service on charges that they sabotaged the project which was to be funded by the World Bank through concessional loan of $ 4.5 million. Irsa members, however, were of the view that the World Bank consultant did not execute a similar project in Punjab.

Wapda, in its letter of April 24, 2020 apprised Irsa that Hydro Resource Management Division (Wapda) is operating an automatic telemetry system network along Indus catchments installed during 1996 and 2006 for real time monitoring of floods flows. Presently the expansion/ strengthening of the existing telemetric network is being done by automation of the manual gauging stations installed in Indus catchments by Wapda through World Bank, AFD, ADB, JICA, TIKA etc. and with availability of experience of similar nature, Wapda can take this responsibility.

According to Wapda, Irsa telemetry system, designed in 2002 and commissioned in 2002, was satisfactorily completed by Wapda. The system was handed over to Irsa, however, owing to failure to carry out O&M of the project, it was assigned to Wapda in 2005. The system could not be kept operational due to lack of ownership by the stakeholders besides inadequate funding for O&M. Therefore, the ownership by the stakeholders and availability of adequate funds by the sponsoring agency i.e. Irsa is essential before execution of the project.

Wapda, has, acknowledged that the description of the technical parameters for the equipment/ system to be installed under the subject-PC-1 is not clear. Wapda says that a completely new system shall need to be designed, procured and commissioned from scratch where the option for utilization of the non-obsolete parts of the existing system are also considered and the system may be a mix of salvageable hardware from existing system along with new equipment or purely new equipment as determined during the design exercise.

Advance equipment for calculating the river flows in barrages/ canals are also available. The option for availability of real time flows by installing the velocity and level ( gauges) measuring sensors coupled with extensometer ( for gate opening) in barrages / canals may be also be considered as an essential characteristics of monitoring system for Irsa.

Wapda is of the view that, after installation of telemetry system work in 2004, Wapda handed over the project to Irsa, however, owing to failure of carrying of M&M of the project, it was assigned back to Wapda in 2005. The could not be kept operational by Wapda due to lack of ownership by the stakeholders (provinces/ Irsa) besides inadequate funding for O&M.

As per the scope of work under ToRs, the consultancy services period would be 18 months whereas the implementation duration of consultancy services as per ToR is 24 months. The implementation period for the project activities for consultants is not clear (design, bidding and award, procurement installation and commissioning) and one year operation may require more than two years.

The cost estimation for the telemetry equipment is not worked out in detail. It is not clear that the cost of the equipment covers only the replacement of the data transmission modem of the previously installed system by Wapda. The project cost needs to be reframed.