ADB funding sought for dams, sewerage treatment plant projects

RAWALPINDI: To meet the needs of the city and cantonment areas, the Punjab government sought the financial assistance of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) under Punjab Intermediate Cities Improvement Investment Programme for the Daducha and Chahan dams and a sewerage treatment plant for Rawalpindi city as the construction work on the dams begins.

An official of WASA told that the as ADB agreed to consider technical assistance, feasibility studies will be conducted for the two dams under the second phase of the investment programme in the coming days.

The construction cost of the dams will be covered by the government, but the water supply system, including a filtration plant and the main supply lines to be laid, will be using the funds from the bank.

After the construction of the dam near Chakri on the Sill Kus River, 22 kilometres from the city, Rawalpindi will receive six million gallons daily (MGD) water from Chahan Dam.

To be built upstream of Soan River, Daducha Damwill gathers rainwater from the Murree and Kahuta hills near Sihala on Kahuta Road. As Bhun, Launa and Bhaoni villages will come under the dam, providing 25 MGD to Rawalpindi.

A sewerage treatment plant for sewerage from Leh Nullah has also been planned, which will be built in Adiala village. The land for the plant had been procured in 2007 under the Rawalpindi Environment Improvement Project, informed an official.

A trunk sewer would be laid from Moti Mehal Cinema to Adiala village to bring Leh Nullah’s sewage to the plant and release treated water to agricultural land nearby.

Negotiations with ADB are underway for the water supply schemes and a sewerage treatment plant informed WASA spokesperson Umer Farooq.

The provincial government would have a major role in these negotiations, he further said.

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