ISLAMABAD: Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA), an autonomous body dealing with Hydro-Electric power projects, couldn’t complete the worth Rs. 2.2 billion schemes under the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), in connection with the Mangla Dam raising project — a commitment of the Authority with the government of Azad Jamu Kashmir (AJK) and the effectees of project site.
Through Mangla Dam Raising Project (MDRP), the impounding of water in Mangla Reservoir was raised to 1242 ft, making Mangla the largest reservoir in Pakistan. The original conservation level was 1202 ft.
Since the completion of Tarbela Dam in 1970s, the MDRP is the only mega Project undertaken by WAPDA for the augmentation of water storage in Pakistan. It was started in 2004 and dam raising works were completed in 2009.
affected people of Dadyal, Islamgarh, Chaksawari and Siakh villages are still waiting for completion of CSR schemes
The official documents available with this scribe revealed that WAPDA had assured the government of AJK and affectees of Mangla Dam Raising Project to ensure schools, road infrastructure, new city of Mirpur, satellite towns for the affectees, mosques, shopping centers and other CSR schemes on priority basis, however the people of the affected areas including Dadyal, Islamgarh, Chaksawari and Siakh villages in AJK are still waiting for completion of CSR schemes.
According to the documents, WAPDA promised to built 8 schools; two in each town including Dadyal, Islamgarh, Chaksawari and Siakh villages of Mirpur district, 16 mosques, four Basic Health Unit (BHU), 4 social centers, 4 police stations, four post offices and four public toilets, while only 71 percent work on CSR schemes was completed during the last couple of years while 29 percent remaining work is still pending.
The education, health and security facilities for Dadyal and Siakh towns were ignored in CSR schemes as school buildings as committed by WAPDA in Dadyal 50 percent complete, Siakh town 60 percent.
The health facilities remain basic issue in these towns. WAPDA had promised to construct state of the art four public toilets in these towns of AJK, however the authority could not complete the work.
The WAPDA was in agreement with AJK government to facilitate New Mirpur city with water supply project of total cost of Rs. 180 million, sewerage work costing Rs. 20 million, road drains Rs. 17 million, tuff tiles Rs. 293 million, electricity supply project Rs. 120 million, water tank scheme Rs. 5.6 million, storm water drainage scheme Rs. 122.06 million, sewerage treatment plant Rs. 170 million and Sui gas facility in New Mirpur city costing Rs. 227 million.
despite spending billions of rupees WAPDA is yet to complete CSR projects
However, despite spending billions of rupees in the described CSR schemes, WAPDA is yet to complete the projects as the work on these projects is pending. The original storage capacity of Mangla Reservoir was 5.88 MAF and it was reduced to 4.593 MAF as a result of continuous sedimentation.
After raising of the dam by 30 ft and additional storage to 40 ft, its capacity has been increased by 2.90 MAF with the total storage of 7.55 MAF surpassing 6.58 MAF, the maximum live storage capacity of Tarbela Dam. Besides storage of 2.90 MAF of additional water for irrigation purposes, 12 percent additional annual power will also be produced besides colossal benefits of flood mitigation, according to the officials.
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