SUKKUR: Pakistan Peo­ples Party (PPP) co-chairman and former president of the country Asif Ali Zardari laid foundation stones of two hydro power plants in Rohri and Nara (near Sukkur) on Monday.

The estimated cost of the 15-megawatt plant being installed at RD-15 site at the Nara site near Sukkur is $47 million and that of the nine-megawatt plant to established at RD-26 in Rohri $36.4 million, according to relevant officials and party sources.

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah and a few senior party leaders received Mr Zardari when he arrived at Sukkur airport along with his daughter, Bakhtawar Bhutto-Zardari.

From the airport, they were escorted to the two sites by a strong contingent of security personnel while stringent security measures were taken all along the route.

The private media was not allowed to cover the event for security reasons.

At the foundation stone laying ceremonies, according to PPP sources, Mr Zardari said that the Sindh government was executing and working out numerous development and public welfare schemes.

It had accorded a high priority to power generation schemes with a view to overcoming the energy crisis, he added.

“Although the two hydro power projects are small, they will certainly contribute significantly to the mitigation of electricity woes of Sindh people and help overcome the crisis that has gripped the entire country,” he said while expressing the hope that the two projects would be completed within the stipulated time.

A large population of Ghotki, Sukkur and the areas along the Nara Canal would see start of an era of progress and prosperity when the two plants would churn out 24 megawatt electricity and help people run their industrial units and agricultural machineries, besides getting uninterrupted power supply to their houses, business, trade and commercial concerns and other workplaces, he said.

Mr Zardari said the additional supply of power would give a big boost to the agriculture sector in the areas, and noted that much of the areas’ population depended on farming.

Earlier, Sindh Minister for Finance and Energy Syed Murad Ali Shah gave a briefing to Mr Zardari about execution of the projects and held out the assurance that they would be completed within the stipulated time.

Also read: Sindh hit by 12-hour power breakdown

“The projects will bring about a green revolution in this region as all big and small growers will be able to irrigate their lands by using electrical machinery,” he said.

The PPP co-chairman said he was confident that hundreds of thousands of acres of fertile lands in these areas rendered barren for want of water and power would now come under cultivation.

Mr Zardari said that despite being in opposition at the Centre, the PPP did not stop launching and executing uplift and public welfare schemes in the province.

“We are continuing to ensure provision of all possible facilities to the masses despite limited resources.

These power projects are part of the party’s relentless struggle for the progress of Sindh and prosperity of its people,” he added.

Published in Dawn, January 6th, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play