'Gomal Zam Dam project to overcome flood issues, improve wheat cultivation'

PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Mahmood Khan on Thursday chaired a meeting to review the command area development programme of the Gomal Zam Dam project and said that the project would help in overcoming flood issues and improve wheat cultivation in adjoining areas, ARY NEWS reported.

During the meeting, he said that all 462 watercourses would be completed on time and would improve harvest in Tank, Dera Ismail Khan and Kolachi areas of the province.

“The project will help the province in becoming self-sufficient in the production of wheat,” he said.

He further said that the construction of watercourses and command area development would help in controlling floods in the adjoining areas.

The chief minister was briefed that the project would cost upto Rs 3337.6 million and it would help in bringing around two lakh acres of more land under cultivation in the province. “It would further help the government in bringing down its expenses aimed at dealing with the floods in the areas,” the meeting was briefed.

The dam would further help in generating 17.4-megawatt electricity.

It was reported in July 2019 that in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 25 small dams have been completed in different areas to store flood and rainwater during monsoon for irrigation and drinking purposes.

The report said that nine dams, including Gandyaley, Chanday Fatehay Khan and Auxilliary Kandar dams in Kohat, Azakhel in Peshawar, Naryab in Hangu, Sharki and Changhoz dam in Karak, Darganatu in Bannu and Jalozai dam in Nowshera have been completed under the annual development program during 2002 to 2019.

Similarly, nine dams, including Lawaghar, Karak, Ghole Banda and Mardankhel dams in Karak, Khari Bara in Haripur, Jabba Khattak in Nowshera, Palai in Charsadda, Darmalak in Kohat and Kundal dam in Swabi have been completed under the Public Sector Development Programme during 2003 to 2019.