Priority is being given to construction of small dams to boost food production and expand farm sector of the tribal areas, and so far three out of eight dams have been completed while work is in progress on the remaining five water reservoirs.
The estimated cost of all the eight water facilities is Rs 628.991 million, with total storage capacity of 10203 acre-feet (AF), and their command area is 4926 acre land.
Under the current socio-economic development initiatives launched by the government across the tribal territories, construction of maximum number of water reservoirs falls in its top priority, after education and health.
Total 121 potential sites have been identified by consultants and found suitable for building small dams in the tribal belt.
The three completed dams are: Milward dam in Khyber Agency costing Rs 19.508 million with storage capacity of 166 AF; Pindialy dam in Mohmand Agency costing Rs 23.206 million with storage capacity of 550 AF; and Tali dam in Bajaur Agency costing Rs 18.987 million having storage capacity of 734 AF.
The dams on which work is in progress are: Marsikhel dam and Mir Kalam dam in North Waziristan Agency, being built at a cost of Rs 104.36 million having storage capacity of 10AF and Rs 102.05 million with storage capacity of 1550 AF, respectively. Their total command area is 1435 acres.
Other small dams are Kot Ragha costing Rs 103.62 million with storage capacity of 1350 AF, Maidani in Kurram Agency Rs 229.140 million with storage capacity of 2975 AF, and Kharosahah dam in Bajaur Agency being built at a cost of Rs 82.120 million having storage capacity of 394 AF. On completion, their total command area will be 2736 acres.
Added importance is being attached to the tribal areas water sector expansion and development for agrarian purposes in accordance with special directives of NWFP Governor Khalil-ur-Rehman under the President General Pervez Musharraf's 'water vision' based on 'green revolution' through maximum number of water reservoirs.
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