RAWALPINDI: The Dadocha Dam would help overcome water shortage in Rawalpindi and after completion of the dam, it would supply 35 million gallons of water per day to the garrison city, said Commissioner Rawalpindi Division, Liaquat Ali Chatta.
He said that water scarcity has become a global problem and different countries are considering different ways to meet the shortage.
Pakistan is also one of the countries suffering from a water crisis, the Commissioner said.
Due to the non-construction of dams, per capita availability of water here has decreased four times during the last 50 years, Liaquat Ali Chatta said.
Due to the shortage of dams, millions of cusecs rainwater is wasted every year or causing floods, he added.
The government of Punjab is giving priority to the problem of water scarcity and is paying special attention to the construction of small dams, he said and informed that the approved cost of the dam being built in Dadocha village near Rawat Industrial Estate was Rs6,492 million, which would now be estimated again.
The Commissioner said that construction work of Dadocha Dam would be resumed soon.
He informed the construction work of the dam would be completed within the stipulated period as the Punjab government is paying special attention to water supply projects.
The Commissioner said that the patriotism and sacrifices of the local population, especially the residents of Barwala including Azari Sehal, Malikpur, Azizal and Khanpur areas, are commendable.
“We value the sacrifices of the local population and would make every effort to provide them with the full benefit of these sacrifices,” Liaquat Ali Chatta said.
In the light of the Supreme Court’s decision and the directives of the caretaker government of Punjab, the local population would be given the prices of their land according to the current market rates, the Commissioner added.
The local residents whose property is affected by the construction of the dam would be given fair compensation, he said.
The district administration and the people should work hard on this project to provide clean water for future generations, Liaquat Ali Chatta said.
The dam would provide clean water to the residents of Rawalpindi, Cantt, and adjoining areas.
The right-of-way of Dadocha Dam had also been almost cleared to ensure that the project could be completed as soon as possible, Liaquat Ali Chatta said.
A total of 16,194 kanals of 14 marla land was acquired in Rawalpindi and Kallar Syedan for the construction of the dam located 25 kilometers from Rawalpindi, Liaquat Ali Chatta said.
The dam would be at a height of 123 feet and 737 feet long while its catchment area is 129
square miles, the Commissioner Rawalpindi Division added.
