Despite completion several months back: Rs3bn water reservoir in Potohar lying unutilised

ISLAMABAD: Despite its completion six months back, a multi-billion rupee dam on the outskirts of Rawalpindi is lying unutilised even in the monsoon season due to the construction of a small dam within its catchment area by a former ISI chief, officials and people claim.

Constructed on the Kharian riverine flowing between Rawalpindi and Chakwal districts, Mahota Dam was inaugurated by former Interior Minister Ch Nisar Ali Khan in 2015. It had to be completed in three years at the initial cost of Rs1,787.416 million.

The project was completed in January 2023 at the cost of around Rs3 billion and handed over to the Small Dams Organisation, Islamabad, by the contractor. The contractor has constructed several dams, water reservoirs and canals in Punjab province.

“Despite its completion, Mahota Dam, constructed over Kharian riverine which flows between Rawalpindi and Chakwal districts, is not being operational because a former ISI chief has reportedly got another small dam constructed in its catchment area,” a resident of Mahota village told The News on Saturday.

During the visit of Mahota Dam by this scribe, it was observed a newly-constructed dam was lying unutilised for the last several months, as water was not being stored in the reservoir despite heavy monsoon rains in its catchment area during the last several months.

“Several million acres feet (MAF) of water have been wasted this year despite having a newly-completed dam on the Kharian riverine. This dam is not being made operational by the Small Dams Organisation, as they have constructed a small dam within its catchment area to irrigate the lands of a retired General in Chakwal district,” he alleged.

According to him, Punjab Irrigation Department acquired hundreds of kanals of land from local villagers for the construction of Mahota Dam. The villagers sold their ancestral lands to the authorities hoping a huge water reservoir would bring prosperity for their coming generations. But a former military official had shattered all their dreams, he said.

“At no place in the world you would see a small dam in the catchment of a big water reservoir. This only happens in Pakistan. They (Small Dams Organisation) people are not making Mahota Dam operational because it would drown the dam constructed to irrigate the land of former general. If his dam is filled, this huge water reservoir, constructed at the cost of Rs3 billion, would remain unutilised,” the villager further said.

Even some present and former officials of Small Dams Organisation confirmed that due to the construction of a small dam within the catchment of Mahota Dam, the reservoir could not be made operational. All the civil work on the dam has been completed and handed over to the organisation by the contractor several months back, they added.

“Even the small dam constructed inside the catchment area of Mahota Dam was financed by the Small Dams Organisation, Islamabad, despite being an illegal act. The small dam has been constructed on a tributary of Kharian riverine, and it would be used for irrigation of lands of brothers of a retired general,” a former engineer of Small Dams Organisation said.

The News tried to speak to former Federal Planning and Development Minister Ahsan Iqbal on non-utilisation of Rs3 billion water project initiated by the PMLN provincial government, but he refused to comment on it.

“As it is a provincial project, I can’t speak on it. You should talk to Punjab Irrigation Department or acting Irrigation Minister for comments on non-utilisation of this important project,” Ahsan Iqbal said.

When approached, Tabraiz Ahmed, who is the Project Director of Mahota Dam, confirmed that due to a small dam constructed within the catchment of Mahota Dam by the former ISI chief, they could not start “ponding” of Mahota Dam.

“Structure of Mahota Dam, including its spillway and irrigation channels, is completed, and we had to start ponding of the dam last year. But due to a small dam constructed within its catchment, we could not start the process of water storage. The small dam was constructed to irrigate the lands of a former ISI chief and his family members in their ancestral village,” he said.

He, however, claimed the small dam constructed within Mahota Dam catchment area was not illegal, as it would have its own storage of water. Several dams can be constructed on a river, he said.