LANDI KOTAL, March 17: A major portion of the under-construction Zao small dam in Bara was washed away by flood, causing a loss of nearly Rs25 million to the contractor.

Haji Ekhtiar Gul, the contractor, told Dawn that the dam was near completion as almost 75 per cent work was completed. He said that the main protection dyke and earth moving machinery worth millions of rupees were also washed away by a sudden current of flood water, coming from the nearby mountains in Tirah.

“Luckily the floods caused no human loss as all the labourers and the dam supervising staffers were away from the site due to rain,” he said, adding that water accumulated in the under-construction dam that caused a major breach in its protection walls and washed away a major portion of the dam.

The construction of the dam was started in June 2011 under the supervision of Fata Development Authority (FDA) with an estimated cost of Rs69.07 million.

Situated at a distance of eight kilometres from Peshawar, the dam site is in Akkakhel area of Bara near the border of Darra Adamkhel. The FDA estimated that the dam would irrigate 250 acres area after its completion in December 2012. But completion of the dam was delayed owing to insecurity and a military operation in the region.

Work on the dam was suspended in July last year when some unidentified gunmen abducted Haji Ekhtiar Gul along with his two colleagues -- Aleen Gul and Gulzar.

They were released only after payment of a huge amount of ransom to the kidnappers. The construction of the dam was restarted in August last year.

FDA had in the beginning awarded the contract of the dam construction to Shaukat Khan, a resident of Bisham district, who later gave power of attorney to Haji Ekhtiar Gul, Gulzar and Aleem Gul as he himself was unable to work in the tribal area owing to insecurity.

The annual report of FDA said that 37 per cent work on construction of Zao dam was completed but Haji Ekhtiar Gul said that they had completed almost 75 per cent work.

He said that they had been awaiting clearance of their bills since last year when they were paid for the completion of 37 per cent construction work. The contractor said that a loss of nearly Rs25 five million was inflicted on his firm. “The dam will require massive reconstruction,” he added.

The FDA officials could not be contacted for their comments.