WAPDA EVALUATING POSSIBILITIES TO SAVE SLIPPAGES OF ADDITIONAL WATER IN HUB RIVER

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April 23, 2017: The Pakistan Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) Chairman Lt Gen Muzammil  Hussain (R) visited Hub Dam located in the vicinity of Karachi and had a detailed round of the spillway and embankments of the project. WAPDA General Manager (Projects) South was also present on the occasion.

 Speaking on the occasion, WAPDA Chairman said that Hub Dam, completed on River Hub in 1981, has been significantly contributing towards fulfilling domestic and industrial water requirements of Karachi and part of Balochistan including Hub. He said that WAPDA is evaluating technical possibilities to save the slippages of precious water to meet the needs of Karachi and Lasbela.

During his visit, the issue relating to receivables in the head of operation and maintenance (O&M) of Hub Dam was also discussed. The Chairman was briefed that the O&M arrears payable by Sindh and Balochistan Governments have risen to above Rs. one billion so far – Rs.742 million by Sindh and Rs.290 million by Balochistan. The Chairman directed the officers concerned to actively liaise with the two provincial governments for recovery of the outstanding dues. He said that WAPDA has been spending funds out of its own kitty despite monetary problems since 2013 to bridge the financial gap for O&M of Hub Dam. He expressed the hope that the issue will be resolved soon.       

It is pertinent to mention that Sindh gets 63.3 percent, while Balochistan receives 36.7 percent out of the water stored in Hub Dam. At the time of its completion in 1981, the live water storage capacity of the reservoir was 0.76 million acre feet, that has been reduced to 0.65 million acre feet due to natural phenomenon of sedimentation. Since completion of Hub Dam, water has been spilled-over seven times, while the quantum of spilled-over water stands at 4.13 million acre feet.