Ten small dams to be costructed

Rawalpindi: Punjab government has planned to construct 10 small dams in four districts of the Potohar region including Chrah Dam with the cost of Rs 550 million, said Dilawar Abbas, Provincial Minister for Irrigation.

'These 10 dams would store more than 25,000 acre ft water, which would help in agriculture development of the region', the minister said during a briefing at under construction Jamal Small Dam in Manghot village of Gujjar Khan.

The minister said that construction of Chrah Dam would help improve water supply to Rawalpindi city as this would have storage capacity both for irrigation and drinking purposes.

Dilawar Abbas said that these reservoirs would help irrigate more than 15,000 acre land in the region and improve the living standard of the people besides adding to economic stability of the country. He said that with completion of the small dams project a new era of economic growth would start in this region. This, he said would help eradicate poverty and unemployment as well.

Giving details of the ten small dams, the minister said that out of ten dams seven dams would be constructed in Chakwal district, two in Attock and one in Jhelum.

Dams to be constructed in Chakwal district are Chrah Dam, Dhok Hum Dam, Mandi Dam, Dhok Jhang Dam, Lakhwal Atwal Dam, Khabir Dam and Taja Bar Dam, while Saddarpal Dam and Shahbazpur Dam would be constructed in Attock and Agham Dam in Jhelum.