* CDA chairman says MoU would help authority overcome water crisis in Islamabad

By Ikram Junaidi

ISLAMABAD: Capital Development Authority (CDA) and a foreign firm on Tuesday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to review feasibility of water conduction from Indus River System for the overcoming water shortage in the federal capital.

Speaking on this occasion, CDA Chairman Imtiaz Inayat Elahi said authority had been working since long to improve the existing water supply for provision of adequate water to the residents. He said this MoU would help CDA overcome water crisis in the city.

Different options including the pipeline from Terbela Dam are under consideration, he said, adding, the signing of MoU is a step forward to resolve this issue.

The MoU was signed between CDA and M/s Sinohydro Corporation Limited (SCL), a Chinese Central government owned company to review the feasibility study for conduction of water from Indus River System at Haripur / Siran pocket site of Tarbela Dam to Islamabad and Rawalpindi on gratis basis.

According to the terms of MoU, M/s Sinohydro will depute its technical team to Islamabad for carrying out a study to evaluate the necessary facilities for the project with technical and financial evaluations, including budgetary cost estimates, suggest work schedule and propose work methodology, estimated time periods, for implementing the project in form of FIDIC condition of contract.

It is also mentioned in the MoU that in order to ensure that the proposed technical solutions are appropriate, the study / project will be discussed, reviewed and approved by CDA. After completion of the studies and codal formalities and arrangements of funds, the construction work of the project will be awarded through International Competitive Bidding (ICB) process as per procedure of the government.

SCL, being top ranking construction and largest water conservancy and hydropower construction company, has been working in Pakistan since 1986 on different projects including Ghazi Barotha Hydropower Project, Nala Canal, KPOD/DPOD Canal and Mirpur Khas Drainage projects in Sindh; the Pat Feeder Canal Project in Balochistan; the Greater Karachi Bulk Water Supply Scheme, Storm Water Drain from Clifton Bridge to Nehra-e-Khayyam, Main Trunk Drains at DHA projects in Karachi and many other mega projects.