Nai Gaj Dam case: Sindh Chief Secretary appears before Supreme Court
- By Web Desk -
- May 23, 2019
ISLAMABAD: The Chief Secretary of Sindh, and provincial secretaries of finance and irrigation on Thursday appeared before the Supreme Court in the hearing pertaining to construction of Nai Gaj Dam, ARY News reported.
A three-member bench of the apex court headed by Justice Azmat Saeed hearing a petition regarding construction of Nai Gaj Dam in district Dadu.
The provincial government submitted its reply in the court today.
Advocate General Sindh argued before the bench that Sindh didn’t object at any time over construction of Nai Gaj dam, neither it intends any delay in construction of the project.
AG Sindh informed the court that the federal government holds responsibility to provide complete funding of the dam project. The province has to tackle the land procurement, settlement and the security issues, Sindh’s law officer said.
He said, the provincial government still ready to provide Rs. 188 million funds for the first year of the waterworks project.
The court adjourned further hearing of the case after Eid ul Fitr.
The bench in previous hearing of the case issued orders to the chief secretary of Sindh to record his statement regarding construction of the dam project.
The court in March had ordered immediate construction of Nai Gaj dam and directed the federal and provincial governments to ensure timely provision of funds to the Water & Power Development Authority (WAPDA) for the purpose and asked the planning division and secretary irrigation Sindh to submit a compliance report.
In April hearing, additional advocate general Sindh while objecting to Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec’s) decision regarding the project said that the provincial government could not pay the 50 percent cost of the project. However, the government had consensus on Water and Power Development Authority’s proposal pertaining to the construction of dam.
“The earlier cost of the project was Rs.26 billion, which has now soared to 46 billion,” Deputy Attorney General informed the court.