ISLAMABAD: Federal government would launch Flood Management Enhancement in the Indus Basin project at a cost of Rs5.178 billion with a share of Rs4.11 billion (79.37 per cent)in the form of grant of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and Rs 1.078 billion (20.63 per cent)local component.
According to the documents available with this correspondent, the Ministry of Water Resources is the sponsoring agency, while the location of the project is Punjab districts of Attock, Gujranwala, Jhang, Jhelum, Sialkot, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s District Haripur. The project would be completed with three components in two years and five months.
About the Component-I of the project, procurement and installation of 45 Telemetry Station through Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) will be made at total estimated cost of Rs2.51 billion. Regarding component –II of the Project, Procurement and installation of 05 Automatic Weather Station at cost of Rs21.5 million would be made through Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD).
About component-III, protection structure would be construct top avoid damages of flood at four sites in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa through Irrigation Department of KP government at Rs2.313 billion.
A total of Rs18 million would be spent for renovation of existing office of FFC of setting of central data management centre. A total of Rs10 million for ban charges for issuance of authorisation to pay consultants/contractor etc.
The project has been cleared in the Central Development Working Party (CDWP) meeting held on September 02, 2024. The government of Japan has committed to finance and implement the project.
About the benefits of the project, the automated hydro-meteorological stations using sophisticated technology and modern digital measurement techniques will increase the reliability and timely availability of river flows and weather observations. The project will hold to minimising panic in society that is created by sudden flood in hill torrent areas. It will also help to design various hydropower projects and structures.
The project will also cater for the needs of National Disaster Management Authorities and the Provincial Disaster Management Authorities (PDMAs) enabling them quick rescue, relief activities at the district level about upcoming floods. This project will help to reduce human errors and improve Upper Indus Basin hydro meteorological data quality.
As the project is JICA grant-in-Aid Project hence as per the requirement of donor, JICA appointed consultants for preparatory survey of the project leading to preparation of feasibility study and design.
The consultant visited the sites and conduct through consultative meetings with all relevant stock holders and prepared detailed design of the project.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024