KP Irrigation Dept seeks ECNEC approval for construction of CRBC lift canal project

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakthunkhwa Irrigation Department here Sunday sought approval of the much-awaited mega Chashma Right Bank Lift Canal (CRBC) Project by the Executive Committee of National Economic Council (ECNEC) to irrigate about 286,140 acres land in southern districts of the province.

“The detailed PC-I of CBRC lift canal project has been submitted to ECNEC and practical work on it is likely to start this year following its approval by ECNEC,” a senior official in Irrigation Department KP told APP.

He said all papers and technical works were completed and MoU between KP Govt and a Chinese company have already been signed, saying this project will be completed in five years.

The project would be completed with an estimated cost of Rs120 billion against which 65 percent of the total cost would be provided by the Federal Government and 35 percent by the KP Government as per the decision of the Council of Common Interest (CCI).

Following completion, the project will provide 1.187 million acres feet (MAF) of water with irrigated command area of about 286,140 acres land besides overall pumping capacity of around 71.72 cusecs that would be lifted up to 19.50 meters for irrigation of land at higher elevation on right side of existing CRBC gravity canal upto border line of Punjab.

The project will cover almost all southern districts of KP including DI Khan, Lakki Marwat, Tank, Bannu and South Waziristan as length of the main canal would be around 111.25 kilometers and its distributaries network is around 410 kilometers.

As many as 26 flood carrier channels will be constructed having length of about 306 kilometers to protect fertile land from soil erosion and flooding in the future.

The official said that eight small and medium dams have been constructed including Mardankhel dam, Sarki Logar dam, Gholi Banda dam in Karak, Shahkaleem dam, Gul Dheri dam, Jalozai dam in Nowshera, Dar Malik dam in Kohat, Kandhal dam in Swabi and Palai dam in Charsadda districts during the last five years of PTI rule in KP. He said another 17 new small and medium dams would be in different districts of the province by 2023.

These new dams were approved by Provincial Working Development Party (PWDP) last year and that comprehensive mechanism was chalked during first 100 days plan of the PTI government to expedite pace of work on it.

Khyber Pakthunkhwa is the first province, which has prepared its first ever water policy during the first 100 days of incumbent PTI Government for effective management, supervision, and monitoring of water resources. The policy will help to deal with key issues like pricing of water at delivery point and provision of free water supply for environmental and ecological requirements to combat challenges posed by climate change and global warming.

As per the new water policy, new Groundwater Authority (GW) will be set up in all provinces including Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to ensure sustainability and transparency besides information technology-based monitoring system at all divisions point from rivers and reservoirs for compilation and availability of all time data and overall water requirements for agriculture and domestic consumption.

The official said completion of these mega projects would bring green revolution in Khyber Pakthunkhwa besides generate direct employment opportunities for hundreds of thousands of people and alleviate poverty.