The Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) has decided to use local consultants and engineering firms for the construction of Diamer Bhasha and Mohmand dams. This Move will not only help the in elevating unemployment but will also play a major role in capacity building producing competent and experienced engineers for future projects.
Up till now Pakistan has been using foreign help for such projects like when Pakistan used foreign consultants for Indus Replacement Works. It helped the country but did not help in Capacity building or skill enhancement of the local populace.
The Diamer Bhasha Dam will be constructed, 40 kilometer downstream of Chilas Town on rover indus. The dam site is located in Gilgit Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 315 kilometer upstream of Tarbela Dam. The project has three main objectives which included flood mitigation through effective water regulation, provision of water for agriculture through water storage in the reservoir and generation of low-cost hydel electricity.
On completion, Diamer Bhasha Dam will help supplement generation capacities of the hydel power stations by adding, about 2.5 billion units of additional electricity to the system.
Mohmand Dam, formerly known as Munda Dam, will be constructed on River Swat about 5 kilometer upstream of Munda Head works in Tribal District Mohmand of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Mohmand Dam is of immense importance for prevention of floods in Peshawer, Noshehra and Charsaddah area.
