MNA seeks approval of pending power projects for Chitreal

Shahzada Iftikharuddin[/caption] The first meeting was of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Water and Power and the second of the officials of WAPDA and PESCO. The first meeting was presided over by the chairman of the NA standing committee on water and power and was also attended by Minister of State for Water and Power Chaudhry Abid Sher Ali and attended by 20 other MNAs. Shahzada Iftikhar requested the chairman and the minister to expedite approval of the PC-1s of updgradation of Chitral’s WAPDA powerhouse besides the 2nd PC-1 for internal transmission lines from Golen Gol. It may noted that PC-1 of both the projects are lying with the ministry and need formal approval for inclusion in PSDP (federal budget) 2016/17. Fulfilling their promise with MNA Chitral, the French donor – AfD Board – had approved funding for Chitral Town’s WAPDA power house and Jackie Amprou, the French AfD director, had shown willingness to also provide finances for transmission lines from Golen Gol to all uncovered areas of upper Chitral, including Khot, Melp and Rech and Terich in Torkhow and Mulkhow areas besides Laspur, Yarkhoon, Arandu, Arandu Gol, Damel, Urtsoon, Madaklasht, Jinjeretkuhm Urtsoon, Drosh Gol, Asurate the three Kalash Valleys of Bumborate, Rumboor and Birir besides Gahrate and Sheedi areas, all three valleys of Garam Chashma – Karimabad, Shogore, Arkari and areas up to Gobor. The second meeting was arranged on the request of MNA Chitral and facilitated on the orders of Chaudhry Abid Sher Ali, Minister of State for Water and Power at the Ministry. The was presided over by Joint Secretary Water Mehr Ali Shah and attended by Additional Secretaries Hassan Nasir Jamy and Umer Rasool and Mr Mahfooz Bhatti besides member Power Chaudhry Arshad who represented WAPDA House Lahore. PESCO was represented by its new CEO Anwarul Haq, Chief Engineer PESCO Dr Amjad, Director Development PESCO Kashif. It was decided that PESCO tems will accompany MNA Chitral and complete a survey of all mentioned areas before April 10, 2016, while meetings will simultaneously be started with French Donor AfD and PC-1 of transmission line will be approved once submitted by PESCO after survey work. If all goes well it was decided to include both the projects in PSDP (federal budget 2016/17). It is hoped that Golen Gol project will be completed by spring 2017 and all areas of Chitral will be provided electricity from the project by latest April 2017 or as late as June 2017 depending on completion dates. The meeting was informed that the ministry was also considering possibilities of increasing Chitral’s WAPDA power upgradation to possibly 25MW subject to submission of a new PC-1 which may be completed within two months. Given that Chitral’s WAPDA power house may take up to 2 to 2.5 years once work starts therefore priority is being given to the Golen Gol project to immediately meet electricity needs of Chitral District covering all areas currently uncovered as mentioned above. ]]>