ISLAMABAD: Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) Chairman Lieutenant General (r) Muzammil Hussain has revealed that the United States (US), United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and World Bank (WB) are against Diamer-Bhasha Dam and the US is supporting India over the said issue.
The WAPDA chairman was speaking during the meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Water Resources held in Parliament House on Tuesday with Nawab Yousaf Talpur in the chair.
The meeting was attended by officials of the Ministry of Water Resources and other relevant departments.
Lt Gen (r) Muzammil Hussain alleged that foreign powers were involved in agitating the sentiments of local people for opposing the Diamer-Bhasha Dam project.
Briefing the committing, he said that it takes 26 months in approval of one PC1 and two PC1 can be approved in five years but there was no money in the country for approval of the said projects.
The WAPDA chairman expressed concerns over the development system of the country and said that it was limited to briefings only.
He said that WAPDA included 2487 Megawatt (MW) low electricity in the system during the last two years while hydropower generation has exceeded 9000MW.
Lt Gen (r) Muzammil Hussain further stated that Tarbela 4th Extension Hydropower Project has been completed which would help to generate an additional income of Rs15 billion.
The project earlier estimated to be completed at cost of Rs84 billion was accomplished at cost of Rs500 billion due to prolonged delay as it was earlier projected to be completed in 2014, he added.
Speaking on the occasion, the Federal Flood Commission chairman feared super-flood during monsoon 2019. He said that Pakistan was affected most by climate changes.
