PESHAWAR: After more than two years of bickering, the irrigation department has agreed to issue a no-objection certificate (NOC) to the Pakhtunkhwa Energy Development Organization (Pedo) to construct micro-hydel power stations (MHP) on canals in the province, officials said.

Energy and power secretary Nisar Ahmad told Dawn that he held a meeting with the additional chief secretary and irrigation secretary on Thursday.

“The issues have been resolved and terms of references were discussed and agreed upon by both the departments. There is no issue of the pending NOC,” he said.

The matter was in limbo due to stiff opposition by the irrigation department for around two years and earlier in July, the department had shared with the Pedo a draft NOC after a project steering committee headed by the ACS of the planning and development department had greenlit the construction of MHPs on canals in a meeting held in March this year, documents available with Dawn showed.

Longstanding issue resolved during meeting between departmental heads

The meeting had also decided to set up a technical committee comprising officials from Pedo and irrigations; however, sources said that an official posted in the central region who was most vocal against the issuance of the NOC was dropped from both the meeting as well as the committee and instead an irrigation official represented the department.

The matter was referred to the project steering after vociferous opposition from the irrigation department.

Documents available with Dawn show that the irrigation department had opposed the project in writing on several occasions.

In a letter dated July 3 2023 and addressed to the secretary energy and power department, the operation wing of the irrigation department had pointed out that due to the construction of MHPs on canals, the afflux caused by the heading up of the water resulted in over withdrawal of water by canal outlets located upstream, causing shortage of water downstream reaches, affecting the irrigation needs of the farmers and potentially impacting their crops.

Besides, the letter pointed out that canal systems were operated on a rotation basis during lean flow season and it was difficult to fulfil water availability for power generation during the lean flow period accordingly irrigation will be given preference as National Water Policy 2015.

In addition, it said that the fluctuating water flow due to the operation of hydropower projects led to the erosion of canal structures such as canal falls, which eventually resulted in their collapse.

Similarly, the letter pointed out that sedimentation caused by the operation of MHP projects potentially leads to breaches and further disrupts irrigation outlets located both up and downstream. “This can hamper the distribution of water to the crops, impacting agricultural productivity,” it said.

Besides, it said that neglecting the clear grating of trash racks of the MHPs could lead to overtopping potentially leading to breaches and further disrupting irrigation operations. “Moreover over topping results in subsurface seepage from canal in earthen and fill reaches, which may result in water logging and deterioration of nearby built properties,” it said.

It also added that resultant disruption in the irrigation system caused by MHPs could lead to social problems and even law and order issues, particularly, if farmers’ water rights lead were compromised, threatening food security and litigation.

“In view of this, the irrigation department does not support the further construction of MHPs on irrigation canals, except on streams and rivers which come under the definition of raw sites as per hydropower policy 2018,” the letter noted.

However, Pedo, in its response to the objection, a copy of which is available with Dawn, said there was no pending issue on the main canal during or after the construction and operation phase of the project.

“Our project component planning has been done in such a way that no flow is disturbed upstream or downstream or any obstruction at the fall; however, such cases happen when the flow is unregulated,” it said.

It said that there was no potential impact downstream as perceived by the irrigation department.

Besides, Pedo said that its community-based projects take water already available and will never demand the available water for power generation as the importance of irrigation was clearly a top priority. It said that no water rights would be compromised as there would be no disruption of the irrigation system.

“The design of our project will ensure that disruption to flow never happens [besides] ensuring no additional water is diverted outside the canal right of way and the same water is available both upstream and downstream of the project during its operation,” Pedo said.

When contacted, irrigation secretary Ayaz Khan confirmed that his department had agreed to issue NOC for the project, based on the decision by the ACS P7D.

“Pedo has agreed to the terms and conditions of the irrigation department with elaborate arrangements safeguarding the infrastructure of the canals,” he said.

Published in Dawn, August 24th, 2024