ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court was on Thursday informed that the Sindh government was not opposed to the construction of the Nai Gaj dam in Dadu district.
The submission was made by the provincial chief secretary and secretaries of finance and irrigation before a three-member bench of the apex court headed by Justice Azmat Saeed.
The Sindh advocate general informed the court that the federal government was responsible for providing complete funding of the dam project. He added that the province was responsible for procuring the land, resettling the displaced people and ensuring security for the project.
He said the provincial government was ready to provide Rs188 million for the first year of the waterworks project.
The court adjourned further hearing of the case after Eidul Fitr.
The bench in previous hearing of the case issued orders to the chief secretary of Sindh to record his statement regarding construction of the dam project.
The court in March had ordered immediate construction of Nai Gaj dam and directed the federal and provincial governments to ensure timely provision of funds to the Water & Power Development Authority (WAPDA) for the purpose and asked the planning division and secretary irrigation Sindh to submit a compliance report.
In April hearing, additional advocate general Sindh while objecting to Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec’s) decision regarding the project said that the provincial government could not pay the 50 percent cost of the project. However, the government had consensus on Water and Power Development Authority’s (WAPDA) proposal pertaining to the construction of the dam.
“The earlier cost of the project was Rs.26 billion, which has now soared to 46 billion,” Deputy Attorney General informed the court.
