Lahore - Gomal Zam Dam is a very vital project for socio-economic development of the area because it will not only irrigate more than 163,000 acres of land but also generate about 91 million units of low-cost hydel electricity per annum. This was stated by WAPDA Chairman Shakil Durrani while presiding over a progress review meeting on Gomal Zam Dam, being constructed in South Waziristan Agency with a useable water storage capacity of 0.9m acre feet and generation capacity of 17 megawatt. Speaking on the occasion, the Chairman said that WAPDA, in view of the significance of Gomal Zam Dam, was making an all out effort for completion of the project. He expressed the hope that the project, presently at the advanced stage of its construction, would soon be completed. The USAID has shown willingness to arrange the finances for remaining works of the project, he added. The Chairman appreciated the WAPDA officials and the contractors for their efforts to bring the project closer to completion by working in difficult conditions in the South Waziristan Agency. The Chairman also expressed satisfaction over the role played by Gomal Zam Dam in mitigating the flood last month. It is pertinent to mention that the project, though under construction, successfully mitigated the flood of the River Gomal, absorbing a huge quantum of ater in the reservoir and releasing only the lesser as well as controlled flows of water downstream through its diversion tunnel. Had Gomal Zam Dam been not in place, there would have been more devastation in Tank and Dera Ismail Khan districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Later, a briefing was made in the meeting regarding progress on the project and damages done to its various components by the recent flood.