LAHORE - To cope with the increasing demand of water and electricity, WAPDA is focusing on optimal utilization of water and hydropower resources in the country. WAPDA Chairman Shakil Durrani stated this while addressing the delegation of Command & Staff College, Quetta here at WAPDA House. Speaking on the occasion, the Chairman said that WPADA is constructing 13 mega projects, most of which are at the advanced stage and expected to be completed in the year 2010 and 2011. These include Mangla Dam Raising Project, Gomal Zam Dam, Satpara Dam, first phase of Kachhi, Rainee and Greater Thal Canals, Khan, Allai, Duber Khwar and Jinnah Hydropower Projects. The Chairman said that international financial institutions have shown keen interest in financing various WAPDA projects including Diamer-Basha Dam because of their high economic internal rate of return (EIRR). He apprised the delegation that land acquisition for Diamer-Basha Dam Project would be started in May, while construction of residential colonies and allied structures is expected to be initiated in July this year. Responding to a question, the Chairman said that in addition to developing storage capacity, effective water management is of immense importance to overcome shortage of water. Mangla Dam Raising Project General Manager, Rasheed Ali Khan Bangash, briefing the delegation on water sector projects, said that WAPDA has also been assigned to construct 32 small and medium-sized dams in all the four provinces and FATA in two phases to help irrigate more than a million acres of land through high efficiency irrigation systems. Of them, 12 dams will be completed in first phase with a construction period of three years. PEPCO General Manager (Human Resources) Syed Azhar Iqbal briefed the delegation about short, medium and long-term measures taken by the Government to overcome electricity crisis in the country. The briefing was also attended by WAPDA Member (Finance) Chaudhry Abdul Qadeer, Member (Power) Muhammad Qasim Khan, Managing Director (Administration) Naveed Akram Cheema, WAPDA Secretary Imtiaz Tajwar and other senior officers concerned.