Gandapur terms Kalabagh Dam ‘essential for state’

PESHAWAR/
ISLAMABAD:

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur said on Monday that construction of Kalabagh Dam was ‘essential for the state’ and urged that concerns over the controversial project should be addressed through dialogue.

Speaking to reporters after a party meeting at K-P House in Islamabad, Gandapur blamed the absence of large dams for the devastation caused by rains and floods.

“We are afraid to even name some dams. Kalabagh Dam is necessary for the state, and if there are reservations, they should be addressed through talks,” he said. “We are ready to contribute our share in its construction, and other provinces should also play their part so the project can be realised.”

The chief minister admitted that delays in building dams had led to the disasters. He said his provincial government was taking independent steps, having completed six dams last year, including Gomal, which reduced flood losses.

“We are constructing dams in various districts to minimise risks in future,” he added. Gandapur said a new Jabba Dam was being built to protect Peshawar, while a protective wall had been erected in Budhni to protect the city against floods.

He also addressed recent flash floods in Buner, saying they were the result of a cloudburst and not deforestation. “Cloudbursts occur due to rising heat in the atmosphere and can happen anywhere. To block rocks carried by floods, nets will be installed on the Swiss model,” he said.

Earlier, while chairing a video-link meeting, Gandapur directed all deputy commissioners to take immediate action against encroachments along rivers, canals, and drainage channels to prevent future flood-related losses. He said notices should be issued before carrying out anti-encroachment operations. 

The chief minister also announced that a major one-time project for de-silting rivers and strengthening protective embankments will soon be launched to mitigate future disasters. The meeting reviewed in detail the progress on relief and rehabilitation efforts in flood-hit areas.

Briefing the meeting, officials said compensation has been paid to the families of 352 out of 411 deceased victims, with Rs704 million disbursed so far. For the injured, 60 out of 132 cases have been compensated with Rs30 million. Data on private properties damaged in floods has also been compiled. Of 571 completely destroyed houses, 367 owners have received compensation, while 1,094 out of 1,983 partially damaged houses have been compensated.

A total of Rs595 million has been released under this head, with remaining payments to be completed within two days. Relief officials further informed that 29,631 food packages have already been distributed among affected families.

The chief minister directed that compensation payments be expedited and rehabilitation work begin immediately afterwards. He instructed DCs to personally supervise restoration of damaged public infrastructure and to prepare PC-1s in the field rather than from offices.

Gandapur stressed that future planning must be based on water flow data from the past 40 years to design effective de-silting strategies. He also directed that prefabricated structures be considered for the immediate restoration of schools and health centers, while measures should be taken to prevent outbreaks of epidemics in flood-affected areas.

Praising the civil administration, the CM said: “Our institutions demonstrated exemplary performance during the recent floods. The speed of rescue operations, relief distribution, and compensation payments is unprecedented in the country’s history. This reflects improved governance in K-P.”

The session was attended by Finance Adviser Muzammil Aslam, Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah, Additional Chief Secretary Home Muhammad Abid Majeed, Secretary Relief, DG PDMA, and deputy commissioners of affected districts.