Senate body annoyed at Ahmed Mukhtar's absence

Legislative body of Senate on Water and Power has recommended writing letter to chairman Senate against rude attitude of Federal Minister for Water and Power with parliamentarians and ignoring recommendations of standing committee.Parliamentary panel met here on Friday in the Parliament House with Senator Zahid Khan in the chair for comprehensive briefing on under construction dams in the country. The committee expressed its annoyance over the absence of federal minister for water and power Ahmed Mukhtar from the meetings of Standing Committees.Senator Zahid khan said that several times committee has recommended minister to appear before the committee to answer the queries of parliamentarians but he did not bother to ensure his presence in the meeting.He said that his attitude shows that he has no respect for parliamentarians and parliament therefore we have decided to write letter to chairman senate about his attitude.Members said that committee gives recommendations but there is no use of these recommendations in absence of federal minister.During meeting CEO Neelum Jehlum hydro power project Lt Gen Muhammad Zubair informed the committee that this dam would generate 5.1 billion units and Rs 45 billion revenue for the country. He said that to avert the affects of earthquake site of dams has been changed so project delayed while 90 billion shortfall of funds another reason behind slow pace of work.However, we have initiated Neelum Jehlum surcharge to complete this shortfall and 16 billion have been collected so far, CEO added. He said that initially contractors were reluctant to work on this project as site is just three kilometer away from line of control.Standing committee expressed its concerns over quality of equipment installed at the site of dam and directed to ensure better quality of equipment to maintain the power generation capacity of the dam for years. Committee also annoyed less power production from Malakand power project which is providing 36 megawatt to the national grid rather of claimed capacity of 83 MW.Standing committee recommended to the chairman WAPDA to send two engineers at the site of the project to check the reasons behind low generation and to give detailed report regarding it.Standing committee decided to have a separate meeting on under construction dams in the Balochistan.Expressing concerns over progress on Kurram Tangi dam legislative body decided to have a separate meeting over it.Member Wapda Syed Raghib hussain informed that work on Jabban hydroelectric power station rehabilitation project would be commenced in 2013 and 29% civil work of this project has been completed. Committee said that there are so many irregularities in development work of this project and constituted a sub-committee comprising Senator Nisar Muhammad and senator Humayaun Mandokhel to check the irregularities in the project and directed to give its report swiftly.Chairman of the committee said that Dasu is another project that can generate 4350 MW power but it is beyond understanding that why government is emphasizing on Diamer Bhasha dam. Members said that we need war footing steps to control energy crises but despite that government not fully utilizing it’s all resources.Zahid khan said that Bunji dam with capacity of 7,000 MW can remove load shedding menace from the country but government is moving on only Diamer Bhasha dam.Chairman WAPDA Shakeel Durrani informed the committee that at the same time two projects can not be initialized and if work would be started on Dasu then Diamer Bhasha dam would be further delayed for ten years.Committee directed officials of WAPDA and economic affairs division to give a detailed briefing over financial affairs of different under construction dams in the country.Legislative body also recommended secretary water and power to take action against those DISCOs and their responsible persons who are doing 10 to 12 hours load shedding in the country.