WAPDA speeds up Kachhi Canal Project

Pakistan Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) has accelerated construction work on Kachhi Canal Project to an optimum level, so that the project could be completed as early as possible.
This was stated by WAPDA Chairman Raghib Shah during his visit to Kachhi Canal Project to witness the accelerated work at various sites of the project in Dera Ghazi Khan. Expressing satisfaction over pace of the work, the chairman said that Kachhi Canal Project is of immense importance for agro-based socio-economic development in the country. He further said that the project would usher in an era of prosperity, particularly in Balochistan, through irrigated agriculture. He said that the federal government had released the direly-needed funds of Rs.2.4 billion for the project. On the directive of the prime minister, WAPDA had planned to provide water through Kachhi Canal to Dera Bugti in Balochistan at the earliest, preferably not later than March 2013 if funds are made available for the project in a similar manner, he added. Mr. Shah directed the project authorities to put in their concerted efforts to achieve this goal.
It is pertinent to mentioned here that the main Kachhi Canal, which takes off from Taunsa Barrage in Muzaffargarh of Punjab province, is 500 kilometers long with a capacity of 6000 cusecs, while the length of the branch canals, distributaries and minors is about 1500 kilometers. Total command area of Kachhi Canal is 713,000 acres. However, the first phase, currently under-construction, will irrigate about 102,000 acres of barren land in remote areas of Dera Bugti, Naseerabad, Bolan and Jhal Magsi districts in Balochistan, boosting agricultural produce in the area. Benefits of the project have been estimated at Rs.5 billion per annum.
Shah, during his visit, also observed the damages done to the Kachhi Canal Project by the recent floods of hill torrents. He said that WAPDA, on the directive of the PM, had started preparing a master plan for Southern Punjab, Baluchistan and Sindh to control floods of hill torrents. The master plan aims at minimizing risks to the local populace as well as the project, and at utilizing the water for betterment of the people residing in the areas, he added.