(Pakistan News & Features Services)
The construction of the most talked about Diamer Bhaha dam has started on May 11, the Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting, Lt General Asim Saleem Bajwa tweeted.
“The project will help create 16,500 jobs, besides generating 4500 MW Hydel power and to irrigate 1.2 million acres agricultural land. It will also help enhance life of Tarbela Dam by 35 years,” he added.
To be executed by WAPDA, it will be Roller Compacted Concrete (RCC) dam, having a height of 272 meters with 14 gates measuring 11.5 meters by 16.24 meters. The gross storage will be 8.10 MAF (10 BCM) while live storage will be 6.40 MAF (7.9 BCM). Its installed capacity will be 4,500 MW with a dozen tributes, each of 375 MW.
It may be recalled the then Chief Justice of Supreme Court of Pakistan, Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, realizing the importance of generation of hyder power through construction of dams, had personally taken the initiative by setting up Diamer Bahshah dam fund for collection of money through banks in July 2018.
It was later joined by Prime Minister Imran Khan, making it a joint venture to overcome the country’s water scarcity and the project was named as the Supreme Court of Pakistan and the Prime Minister of Pakistan Diamer-Bhasha and Mohmand Dams Fund.
