Body reviews installation of telemetry system for water distribution

F.P. Report

ISLAMABAD: On Febru-ary 12th, Senate Standing Committee on Water Res-ources was apprised that PC-1 for installation of tel-emetry system to ensure s-mooth water distribution a-mong the provinces has been prepared and after the approval, it would be incl-uded in next annual Public Sector Development Prog-ramme.

The Committee met with Shammim Afridi in the Chair. The meeting was attended by Senators Waleed Iqbal, Sana Jamaili, Usman Kakar, Mir Yousaf, Secretary Water Resources and other officials of concerned departments.

In this meeting the dignitaries discussed the issue Warsak dam royalty, grievances of people who have been impacts of Neelum Jhelum Power Project, imp-ortance of telemetry system for distribution of water among the provinces and its reason of non-implementation and water distribution accord among the provin-ces.

Other than this the Secretary Water Resources briefed the committee, stating that the PC-1 for tele-metry system costing over Rs 2 billion has been sent to Indus River System Autho-rity and consultant would be hired after its approval.

On the matter, Afridi directed the secretary to provide advance copy of the PC-1 sent to IRSA to t-he committee. The committee was further told that the project would take 24 mo-nths for completion and it would be fully operationalized in 30 months, he said.

Regarding construction of five dams in District Sherani, Qilla Saifullah, it was told that summary has been sent to the Cabinet after preparing PC-1 of the dams. The dams would cost Rs 550 million, it was further told.

During the meeting Kakar commented on the matter saying that water was a grieve issue in Balochistan and rain water was being used for irrigation. He also added that construction of the said dams would help address 90 per cent irrigation issue.