RAWALPINDI: Commissioner Rawalpindi Liaquat Ali Chattha has formed task forces to identify and resolve issues creating hurdles in the smooth functioning of dams.

Presiding over a meeting held to discuss issues related to small dams, he said steps were being taken to activate the dams across the division on the special instructions of the Punjab chief secretary.

Director Development Nazia Sudhan, Project Director Irrigation Tabriz Elahi, Project Director Small Dams Hamza Sheikh and other officers attended the meeting.

The task force formed on each dam will include concerned assistant commissioner as the convener, assistant director agriculture, assistant director water management, deputy director irrigation and four notables from the area benefiting by the dam.

The commissioner said he will start visiting the dams from the coming week. He the task force after completing homework would brief him about the ground realities.

Mr Chattha said the government had spent billions of rupees on the dams built in Rawalpindi division.

Now, if these dams are not fully functional due to minor issues or negligence of the department it is a matter of an extreme abuse.

Mr Chattha said construction of new dams and functioning of existing dams was the urgent need of the hour. Since Pakistan is an agricultural country, water is needed not only for drinking and general use but also for agriculture.

Unfortunately, Pakistan is one of the countries that will face severe water shortage in the near future.

In such a case, thousands cusecs of water is lost every year in rains which can be stored by increasing the capacity of existing dams and constructing new dams.

This can also reduce the risk of flooding.

Giving a briefing on the existing dams, the meeting was told that there were 23 dams in Chakwal and Talagang with a gross storage of 185,576 cusecs out of which 19 dams had been completed and made operational while four were under construction.

Khokhar Zaman Dam, Walana Dam, Surya Dam, Dhoke Qutbuddin, Nika Dam, Kot Raja Dam, Khai Dam, Ghazial Dam, Dhoke Thalian, Mandi Dam, Dhoke Jhang, Manwal Dam and Arar Mughal Dam of Chakwal are complete. Similarly, completed dams in Talagang included Gharabi Dam, Dharnal Dam, Bhagtal Dam, Para Fathal Dam, Mial Dam and Dhoke Hum Dam. Dharabi Dam and Uthwal dams in Chakwal and Taman Dam and Ghabir Dam in Talagang are under construction.

About Rawalpindi, the commissioner was told that there were a total of nine dams in the district, out of which four were in Rawalpindi tehsil and five in Gujar Khan. Rawalpindi district has Misriot Dam, Khasala Dam, Jawa Dam and Chahan Dam - all are functional.

Gujar Khan tehsil has Narali Dam, Dungi Dam, Philina Dam, Ughan Dam and Jamal Dam. All of them except Jamal Dam are functional.

The commissioner directed that a detailed report should be submitted after evaluating the problems faced in activation of Jamal Dam.

After its completion, it will undoubtedly meet the shortage of domestic, agricultural and industrial water. Also, the construction of Mahuta Dam is being given importance because it will not only save abundant rainwater every year but will also reduce the risk of flooding.

An official from Small Dam Organisation said five dams in Rawalpindi district had been included in the annual development programme (ADP).

Physical progress on Mahotah Dam worth Rs3,891 million is currently 35pc and on Mujahid Dam worth Rs1,790 million it is 85pc. The physical progress on Mehra Shera Dam worth Rs1,128 million is 71pc and Daducha Dam 15pc. Moreover, PC-I of Papin Dam worth Rs14,480 million was also approved recently.

Published in Dawn, May 7th, 2023