Another year has passed without having achieved any significant progress on the construction of a number of small and medium-sized dams planned across the country. Twelve small multi-purpose dams were to be completed by this year, but not a single project has come on stream as yet, in spite of repeated claims of the government that construction of these dams, which is the first phase of implementing the programme of constructing total 32 small dams, was being accelerated.
These small and medium-sized dam projects were approved by the ECNEC in September 2009, but since then have repeatedly failed to achieve time deadlines and the approved cost estimates, due to a variety of reasons. The projects have so far suffered delay of two to six years, whereas some are still at the tendering stage and have not taken off. Long delays in implementation has already caused cost overrun of staggering Rs 208 billion - from Rs 94 billion as per approved PC-I to revised estimates of Rs 302 billion - and there would be further cost escalation by the time these projects are completed, given the sharp depreciation of local currency in recent months and gross inefficiency of the executing agency.
These dam projects include Hingol (Lasbela), Naulong (Jhal Magsi), Winder (Lasbela), Garuk (Kharan) and Pelar (Awaran) in Balochistan, Nai Gaj (Dadu) and Darawat (Jamshoro) in Sindh, Ghabir (Chakwal) and Papin (Rawalpindi) in Punjab, Darban Zam and Tank Zam (both in Dera Ismail Khan) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Bara (Khyber Agency) in Fata. These projects, which were originally being financed under the Chinese financial assistance of $700 million, were scheduled for completion within three years.
Ground-breaking ceremony of Darawat, Winder and Ghabir dam projects was performed by President Zardari in January 2010 and that of Naulong in February 2010. Among these three projects, only Darawat Dam is in an advanced stage of construction. Contract was awarded in February 2010 to a joint venture of Pakistani and Chinese contractors. Almost 90 percent of project cost was funded by the Exim Bank China and the balance 10 percent was supported under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP). The project was inaugurated by the then President Asif Ali Zardari in March 2013, while the project still remains under construction. It was only in June 2013 that the rock-filled, concrete-faced dam was constructed, whereas work on irrigation system and its infrastructure is in progress and the lake of main dam has yet to be developed. According to revised schedule, the project was to be completed and made operational in June this year but has been further delayed.
Tender for the construction of Winder Dam was initially invited in September 2009, and due date for receiving the bids extended a number of times. Selected bidder however, did not meet the contractual obligations. Tender has been re-invited to receive bids by July 17, 2013. Contract will now be awarded for civil works and electromechanical works on Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) basis, against payments totally in local currency. Practically, there has been no response by construction companies so far, and now last date for receiving bids is extended until October 29, 2013.
Likewise, there is no physical progress on Ghabir project for which bids were received as early as in January 2010. Letter of Intent (LoI) issued to the selected bidder was later cancelled. Tender was readvertised on June 5, 2013 on EPC basis, against payments totally in local currency. Management consultancy services are being acquired for supervision of the construction of Ghabir Dam for which Expression of Interest (EoI) were invited by September 18, 2013. According to the EoI notice, project completion period is 3-1/2 years.
Similarly, tender for Naulong Dam was opened in April 2010 and contract was awarded to a Pak-China joint venture company, but later cancelled, and tender has now been issued afresh inviting bids on June 28, 2013 and extended to July 23, 2013. Contract for construction of Nai Gaj dam was awarded in April 2011, but the physical progress is dismal. Excavation of foundation for dam, spillway and other structure has been done, achieving hardly 15 percent progress so far. Papin dam project has suffered delays too, for which bids were invited in January 2010. Fate of the project is not known as PC-I has not yet been approved.
Other projects in Balochistan could also not be developed so far. Tenders for Garuk and Pelar projects were invited in March 2010. Due to lack of response, there has been no further processing and bids are to be invited again. Bids for Hingol Dam have been invited on August 20, 2013. Abu Dhabi government is interested in corporate farming in Hingol Dam's command area, and willing to provide funds for its construction. Project PC-I however, has not yet been approved.
Poor law and order situation in some areas has badly affected the process of receiving bids and award of contract. Tender for Bara was invited a number of times since October 2009 but not a single bid was ever received. On the other hand, bids were received in July 2010 for developing Darban Zam Dam but the contractors backed out, whereas tender for Tank Zam Dam could not be invited as funds were not made available for its construction.
Pakistan has a long history of constructing small and medium-sized dams used for multiple purposes, optimising utilisation of water and land resources. Currently, there are 146 such dams in the country contributing largely towards uplifting the agro-based economy. However, for decades no other dam has been constructed though there is huge potential for developing the same. Inordinate delay in construction of the first-phase projects has also impacted on the launching of the second-phase 20-dam projects, which is still awaited.
It is a sorry state of affairs, as the nation has so far been deprived of the socio-economic benefits of completion of these dams that were planned to provide water for irrigation, domestic and livestock, electricity generation, development of small industries and tourism in remote areas. The twelve rain-filled dams, on completion, would have storage capacity of about 3 million acre-foot (MAF) of water, enough to irrigate 340,000 acres initially and 636,000 acres in next phase on adoption of new irrigation methods, and power generation capacity of over 43 MW.
(The writer is a former Chairman of State Engineering Corporation, Ministry of Industries and Production)