Neelum-Jhelum and Mohmand Dam projects: Senate body grills officials over faulty designs

ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Water Resources, Friday, grilled the officials, over faulty designs of the Neelum-Jhelum power project and Mohmand Dam projects, saying that the substandard engineering designs have caused significant financial losses to the national kitty.

The meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Water Resources held here under the chairmanship of Senator Syed Mohammad Sabir Shah was informed by the ministry officials and Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) that the 969-megawatt Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project (NJHP) has partially started generating electricity again after a gap of one year following the completion of the restoration work in its tail race tunnel.

The meeting also discussed the point of public importance raised by Senator Sarfraz Ahmed Bugti in the Senate meeting for the rehabilitation of the Kachi Kanal in Balochistan province, the matter of the time scale of the upgrading of WAPDA employees, the directives given to the WADPA in the last meeting of the committee, matters of acquiring 15.19 acres of land in District Hyderabad Sindh, cracks in the tunnel of Neelum-Jhelum project and Mohmand Dam.

The details of appointments in the Tarbela Dam project made by General Manager Tarbela from 2021 till now, matters related to flood protection in the areas of district Harnai Balochistan, matters of the inquiry report regarding the leakage of Gadwalian Dam, Mohmand cracks and other damages caused by floods in the dam and their repairs so far were reviewed in detail.

Discussing the matter of public importance raised by Senator Sarfraz Ahmed Bugti for the restoration of Kachi Canal in Balochistan province, Senator Taj Haider said that this is a matter of utmost importance which is related to three provinces.

Areas adjacent to Kachi Canal are flooded due to rains, if effective strategies are adopted, this water can be put to better use. Secretary Water Resources told the committee that a lot of water comes from the mountains of Mount Suliman range.

The Provincial Department of Punjab Irrigation has to work in the area of Mount Sulaiman, therefore, it is better to review the matter in the presence of the Punjab Irrigation Department. The committee issued notice to the Punjab Irrigation Department for a briefing in the next meeting.

The committee was told that continuous rains have started in Mount Sulaiman and large flood relays are coming. Senator Taj Haider said that rains were bringing a huge quantity of water from the mountains, there should be an arrangement to store it there so that the people can benefit from it.

Secretary Water Resources informed the panel that the poor infrastructure of Kachi Canal was unable to bear the pressure of flood waters, therefore, it was being damaged all the time during floods.

The present structure cannot control this flood water, water from 13 seasonal streams reaches up to 100,000 cusecs, and to deal with the situation a comprehensive plan is needed, he said. The committee was informed that the provincial governments of Punjab and Balochistan have requested a comprehensive plan.

The issue of time scale for the upgradation of WAPDA employees was also reviewed in detail. The committee was told that the WAPDA has its own policy of time scale upgradation which was being followed since 2001 than the policy given by the Ministry of Finance. The new policy will cause a loss of employees.

In the last meeting of the committee, the implementation of the report given regarding WAPDA was reviewed in detail. The Standing Committee was told that the instructions given have been implemented. Chairman Committee Senator Syed Muhammad Sabir Shah said that the last committee meeting dated 18 July 2023 was held on agenda item 6 of the committee.

That the employees of Tarbela Dam T-iv and T-v Power Wing were getting 30 per cent allowance while the employees of waterway were deprived of this allowance.

The committee directed that this discrepancy be removed and allowances on an equal basis be given because the employees of both wings are working in one place. On which the Ministry of Water Resources and WAPDA officials said that we will eliminate this discrepancy and equal allowances will be given to all the employees.

Whereas in today's committee meeting, the implementation of these instructions was requested. On which the Ministry of Water Resources and WAPDA officials said that the instructions of the committee have been duly implemented. For which the chairman of the committee thanked them.

Regarding the crack in the tunnel of the Neelum-Jhelum project, Chairman Committee Senator Syed Sabir Shah said that it was such a big project, how could such fault not be identified. When the project was started, why was it not effectively worked on. On which, the committee was told that this damage of Neelum-Jhelum Tunnel was not due to flood but due to geographical problem, which had a 42-meter section of the tunnel.

The committee was told that if any project is designed for a 100-year period, the cost is higher but the quality is better, however, owing to financial constraints Pakistan planned and designed a 30-year lifespan project. The committee was told that after the restoration works, the Neelum-Jhelum project, the productivity of the project has improved and it will save up to Rs50 billion per annum.

General Manager Tarbela provided the details of appointments in the Tarbela Dam project from 2021 till now.

The committee was told that all the recruitments were done on merit, on which, the chairman committee Senator Syed Sabir Shah said that complete details including merit list, matriculation numbers, domicile, educational qualification, and other information should be provided in the next meeting.

Cracks and other damages caused by floods in Mohmand Dam and restoration works so far were also reviewed in detail.

The Standing Committee was informed that this problem had arisen due to a huge flood relay at that time, the institution was not working on the river and was working on the tunnel. A temporary embankment was made and a train of three lakh kiosks came. The entire die was not destroyed but only slightly damaged.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023