The Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) has planned to fill the raised Mangla Dam up to its maximum level of 1,242 feet this year subject to the availability of water against last year's test-filling of 1210 feet. The standard operating procedure in this regard has already been approved by the federal government.
This was stated by Wapda Chairman Shakil Durrani during a briefing to the Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJK) President Sardar Muhammad Yaqoob Khan and the Prime Minister Chaudhry Abdul Majid regarding Mangla Dam Raising Project. AJK Chief Secretary Shehzad Arbab, Wapda Secretary Muhammad Imtiaz Tajwar, General Manager (Projects) North Rashid Ali Khan Bangash and Mangla Dam Raising Project Director Ghulam Sarwar Memon were also present during the briefing.
Speaking on the occasion, the Chairman said that Mangla Dam Raising Project costing about Rs 97 billion would significantly contribute towards socio-economic development of the country, as it would store additional 2.9 million acre feet of water besides generating 644 million additional units of electricity annually from the existing Mangla Power Station. Additional benefits of the project have been estimated Rs 18 billion per annum, he added. The Chairman said that the hit people of the project had been compensated through an unprecedented compensation and resettlement package.
It is pertinent to mention that the Mangla Dam Raising Project has been completed with a cost of about Rs 97 billion, out of which a hefty amount of over Rs 65 billion was spent for compensation and resettlement works. Resettlement works include construction of New Mirpur City and four satellite towns having all civic amenities of the modern days, Mirpur by-pass, a bridge over New Bong Canal and Dhan Gali Bridge across River Jhelum etc. Later, AJK Prime Minister Chaudhry Abdul Majid, accompanied by Wapda Member (Water) Syed Raghib Abbas Shah inaugurated Islam Garh town - one of the four model towns developed for the hit people of the project.
Comments
Comments are closed.