PESHAWAR - To conserve water resources, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Government has planned to construct two dams and remodelling of Bara River to promote agriculture and generate employment opportunities for tribesmen. The water reservoirs including Jabba and Bara dams would be constructed in Khyber tribal district on which around Rs 930 million would be spent during current fiscal year, officials in KP Government told APP on Sunday. The Government has proposed allocation of Rs700 million for Jabba dam and Rs230 million for Bara dam for fiscal year 2019-20 for effective conservation of water resources in the rugged tribal district.
Completion these projects would help conserve water for irrigation and drinking purposes besides bringing the vast unproductive lands in Khyber under agriculture net. Efforts would be made to use the water of Bara dam for drinking purposes for people of Peshawar especially Hayatabad, the official informed.
In addition to these schemes, five gigantic projects worth Rs3950 million have been developed by the Government for strengthening of water management and irrigation infrastructure to increase agriculture productivity. The KP Government has developed a 10-year AIP, which is being implemented through Planning and Agriculture Department aimed at to expedite pace of economic development in the once hitherto neglected erstwhile Fata.
Extension and remodeling of Bara River canal system in Khyber district covering Peshawar would be made on which Rs200 million would be spent during current fiscal year. A comprehensive plan for rehabilitation of Dandy small dam in North Waziristan with an allocation of Rs 150 million for current fiscal year were prepared to store the rainy and flood water. It will help alleviate poverty and generate employment opportunities for thousands of tribal people through strengthening of agriculture and livestock services.
Work on construction of small check dams and water storage reservoirs in merged areas with a allocation of Rs 380 million and building of small dams at feasibility sites costing Rs380 million would commence in current fiscal year. Similarly, Rs680 million were proposed for Gomal Zam dam in South Waziristan and Rs100 million for Kurram Tangi Dam Stage-II in North Waziristan for 2019-20. A comprehensive mechanism has been developed for construction and improvement of irrigation channels and water pounds with an estimated cost of Rs 380 million, construction of Kundiwan Weir in South Waziristan costing Rs 320 million and new solar tube wells besides solarization of existing tubes wells on which Rs 100 million would be spent during current financial year would bring green revolution in erstwhile Fata.