LAHORE: A delegation of PAF Air War College Karachi visited Pakistan Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) House on Monday.
The delegation was headed by Air Vice Marshal Hussain Ahmad Siddiqui. He told that purpose of the visit is to know about role and functions of Wapda, various development plans and water security challenges of Pakistan. Wapda members and senior officers were also present on the occasion.
Chairman Wapda Lt Gen Muzammil Hussain (retd) briefed the delegation about water projects.
He said that water security is an integral part of national security. Wapda is constructing as many as 10 mega projects to help ensure water, food and energy security of Pakistan. Diamer Basha Dam, Mohmand Dam, Dasu Hydropower Project, Kurram Tangi Dam and Nai Gaj Dam are to name a few.
Highlighting water and hydropower scenario in Pakistan, the Wapda chairman said that per capita water availability in the country has come down from 5650 cubic meter in 1951 to an alarming level of 908 cubic meter per annum, pushing us to the stage of water-scarce country. Pakistan can store only 10 percent of its annual river flows against the world average of 40 percent. We have merely 30 days carry over capacity of water in comparison to India with 170 days, Egypt with 700 days and USA with 900 days. The carry over water storage capacity will have to be increased from 30 days to 120 days. Likewise, the low-cost hydel electricity - which stands at 9406 MW at present - also requires to be drastically improved from existing 30 percent to at least 50 percent in the national grid.
Briefing the delegation about the development plans, the chairman said that Wapda is implementing multi-pronged strategy for unprecedented hydropower and water storage development in Pakistan under vision of “Decade of Dams” through an innovative financial strategy. On completion of these projects, the water storage capacity in Pakistan will increase from existing 13.6 million acre feet (MAF) to 25.3 MAF with addition of 11.7 MAF irrigating another 3.5 million acres of land. The additional water storage will increase carry over capacity of Pakistan from 30 to 45 days.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022
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