World Bank chief impressed by Tarbela

PESHAWAR: World Bank President David R Malpass on Thursday visited Tarbela Dam and had a round of the main dam and the power house of Tarbela 4th Extension Hydropower Project.

According to a handout, Federal Minister for Water Resources Muhammad Faisal Vawda, Federal Secretary Muhammad Ashraf, WAPDA Chairman Lt Gen (Retd) Muzammil Hussain and World Bank senior officials accompanied him during the visit.

The World Bank president expressed his pleasure over completion of Tarbela 4th Extension Hydropower Project within the timeframe and less than the estimated cost, adding that the work on the project was impressive.

He lauded the efforts of government of Pakistan, particularly Ministry of Water Resources and Minister Faisal Vawda for improvement of water resources in Pakistan.

The World Bank chief appreciated the efforts of Ministry of Water Resources for resolving the issues in relation to completion of Dassu Hydropower Project, construction of dams and other related projects.

The team of World Bank recognised the efforts of Faisal Vawda, Minister for Water Resources, for effectively coping with the challenges related to water issues in the country.

Earlier, Water Resources Federal Minister Muhammad Faisal Vawda thanked the World Bank for the cooperation it has been providing to Pakistan for harnessing water and hydropower resources since 1960.

He hoped that this cooperation would enhance the efforts for implementation of various projects in the days to come.

Vawda said comprehensive and effective measures were being taken for improvement of water resources and construction of dams in Pakistan.

He said Pakistan would witness more progress in hydropower and water sectors with cooperation of Water Bank in future.

The federal minister said 523 billion units of electricity had been contributed by Tarbela Power Station to the national grid so far.

Welcoming the World Bank president at Tarbela, WAPDA Chairman Lt Gen (Retired) Muzammil Hussain commended that the World Bank not only helped broker Indus Water Treaty between Pakistan and India but also administered the entire financial arrangements with assistance of the friendly countries to complete Indus Basin Replacement Works, which included two mega dams - Mangla and Tarbela, five barrages and nine inter-river link canals to divert water from the western rivers to the eastern rivers.

He praised the World Bank for the financial support to the Tarbela 4th Extension Hydropower Project, Dasu Hydropower Project and upcoming Tarbela 5th Extension Hydropower Project. WAPDA is looking forward to World Bank’s support for other projects, located on Indus Cascade.

The projects on Indus Cascade have the great potential to store water and generate phenomenal hydel electricity, he further said.

Briefing the World Bank president about the benefits of Tarbela Dam Project, the WAPDA chairman said that as many as 378 MAF water had been released from Tarbela reservoir to meet irrigation needs of the country.

In addition, Tarbela 4th Extension Hydropower Project, commissioned last year, has also generated 5.6 billion units - more than the generation envisaged in the PC-I of the project, he went on to add.