Work resumes on Balochistan’s biggest hydropower project, the Naulong Dam, that will irrigate 47,000 acres of barren land and provide 4.4MW of electricity.
Disputes related to the Naulong Dam have been resolved and following the direction of the Standing Committee on Water Resources, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has released Rs 1,916 million for the construction work of the Naulong Dam to the Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA).
The dam has a height of 186-feet and has a total storage capacity of 242,452 AFd. Live storage is 200,000 AF. While the annual profits for agriculture will be Rs 2.017 billion, fisheries Rs 0.018 billion, and power Rs 0.413 billion.
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Moreover, the Naulong Dam will generate 23,500 agricultural jobs. It will help secure the catchment parts from the flood. The dam will irrigate regions near Jhal Magsi, Khuzdar, and Gandawa, which will increase economic activities and strengthen the farmer fraternity in Balochistan.
The government has accelerated the construction of the Naulong dam. Meanwhile, WAPDA has already accomplished its feasibility and comprehensive design. As the water table in the province is quite low, fetching water for irrigation is the main challenge in itself.
Therefore, to cope with the water requirements in Balochistan, the provincial and federal governments have supported the construction of many dams in Balochistan, some of which are functional however others are yet to be completed.
Besides the aforementioned operational dams in the province, provincial authorities in partnership with the federal government have accepted the ‘100 Dam Balochistan Initiative.
The government has made a comprehensive program for handling the incurring floods through small dams. The accomplishment of these projects would not only help the irrigation system but also tackle the water shortage in the province.
The project is one of the water conservation efforts by the government to settle down the problem of water scarcity in Balochistan.
