PESHAWAR
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Irrigation, Aqibullah Khan, along with Provincial Law Minister Aftab Alam Advocate on Monday conducted a detailed visit to the under-construction Zameer Gul Dam in the remote area of Ziarat Sheikh Allah Dad, Kohat.
During the briefing, it was informed that the Zameer Gul Dam, along with its canals network, is being constructed on Plah Khwar at an estimated cost of Rs. 135 million. The project is expected to be completed and become operational for irrigation by June 2025.
The dam will have a storage capacity of 7,971 acre-feet and includes a canal network of which 27.43 kilometers out of a total 41 kilometers have been completed. This system will irrigate 3,535 acres of barren land. The spillway discharge capacity of the dam is 34,161 cusecs, while the outlet structure discharge is 18 cusecs.
Expressing strong displeasure over delays in the project, Minister Aqibullah Khan issued a strict deadline, directing authorities to complete the dam by June 2025 without any further extension. He emphasized that the Chief Minister’s vision is to achieve food self-sufficiency by bringing millions of acres of barren land under cultivation through the construction of small dams.
The minister highlighted that the construction of more dams would usher in a green revolution in the province, trigger a new era of development and prosperity, and improve the quality of life for the common people.
He added that work on dam projects across the province has been accelerated and necessary funds have been released.
Earlier, the minister inspected the ongoing work on the dam, spillway, and canal system, and instructed that the project must be completed on time without compromising on quality.
Later, the irrigation minister, accompanied by Provincial Law Minister Aftab Alam and Members of the Assembly Shafi Jan and Dawood Afridi, visited Tanda Dam in Kohat to inspect the dam’s raising work. He directed that this project also be completed in a timely manner.
During the visit to Tanda Dam, the minister ordered the irrigation department to issue immediate notices to individuals who have installed illegal drainage connections in canals. He warned that if these notices are not complied with, FIRs will be registered against the violators.
He was briefed that through a 4-meter raising, the water storage capacity of Tanda Dam has been increased from 49,000 to 72,000 acre-feet, and improvements to the canal system are also underway.
