Islamabad, May 31, 2023 (PPI-OT): Dewatering of flood water from Sindh and Balochistan has been completed. Ministry of Water Resources
Water Apportionment Accord 1991 be acted upon in letter and spirit. Nawab Muhammad Yousuf Talpur
More than 75% of repair and maintenance work of Neelum-Jhelum Hydro Power Project has been completed. Briefing to Standing Committee
Dewatering of flood water from Sindh and Balochistan has been completed. These information have been reported by the Ministry of Water Resources to the Standing Committee on Water Resources in its meeting. The Standing Committee was apprised that dewatering of flood water was the duty of National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).
However, the provincial departments and NDMA have jointly completed the task of dewatering. NDMA paid Rs. 250/- million to relevant provincial department of Balochistan. So, the dewatering in the Naseerabad Division was completed. Similarly, 159 dewatering pumps were provided to relevant provincial department of Sindh.
Hence, 99% of dewatering has been completed in the province. However, in few lowlands some water is still there. The Standing Committee was informed that during the current year the Advisory Committee of Indus River System Authority (IRSA) predicted for 27% shortage of water. But actually 20% more water shortage took place as of the predicted water. So, the shortage of the water is proportionately distributed among different federating units.
The Chairman of the Standing Committee on Water Resources Nawab Muhammad Yousuf Talpur directed that Water Apportionment Accord 1991 be acted upon in letter and spirit. He further declared that any mistake, laziness or violation of the law shall not be tolerated at all. The Standing Committee was informed that due to blockage in the water discharge tunnel of Neelum-Jhelum Hydro Power Project the project was closed in 2022.
Due to the blockage and closure of the project a loss of billions of rupees has been incurred. However, the repair of maintenance work is rapidly in progress and more than 75% of the work has been completed. However, rest of the work shall be completed in eight weeks and thereafter, the project including power generation shall be started.
The Standing Committee asked regarding compensation of the loss of the closure of the project. The Standing Committee also asked about the responsible, if any, of the loss. The Project Director, Neelum-Jhelum Hydro Power Project informed the Standing Committee that as the project was insured. So, they had already sent a claim of more than 41 billion rupees to concerned insurance companies. The Standing Committee directed that the claim be properly followed-up and the Standing Committee should be updated, regularly.
The meeting of the Standing Committee on Water Resources was presided over by its Chairman Nawab Muhammad Yousuf Talpur and attended by the Members of National Assembly; Engr. Sabir Hussain Kaim Khani, Ms. Nuzhat Pathan, Mr. Khalid Hussain Magsi, Mir Munawar Ali Talpur, Syed Hussain Tariq and Mr. Muhammad Mohsin Leghari. The meeting was also attended by the Secretary, Ministry of Water Resources, Chairman and Members, IRSA and senior officers of the Ministry of Water Resources, IRSA, Irrigation Departments and WAPDA.
For more information, contact:
Secretary,
National Assembly of Pakistan
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