[Pictorial] The leaking tank of Naltar Power Project is being repaired

The leaking crack is highlighted within a red rectangle in the above pic. The Naltar Power Project was completed by Chinese Engineers. It has the capacity to generate 18 MW of electricity and caters to Gilgit city, the capital of GB region

Repair work in progress

Inner view of the tank’s wall

Workers repairing the tank’s cemented bottom

Workers showing a leaking crack in the wall to journalists

The human settlement that is at a risk of flooding if, ever, there is an outburst. Experts have said that the chances of burst are below minimum

Exterior view of the leaking wall of a huge water tank

Shabbir Mir

GILGIT: As the fissures in Naltar Power Project’s water reservoir widen, the Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) government has called in technical experts to help stop leakages.

To prepare for any eventuality, residents have alerted local youth to volunteer their services in case the wall is breached. Youth committees have been formed for swift action in case of emergency.

Water leakages have resulted in 21 hours of loadshedding in Gilgit, bringing life to a complete standstill.

“A team of experts from Islamabad will visit the site to stop the leakages,” an official in the water and power department said on Saturday. The authorities, however, had ruled out the possibility of an outburst, saying that the reservoir’s wall was strong enough to sustain water pressure. According to water and power executive engineer Hamid Hussain, leakage from the wall’s joints is normal during winters, as the wall contracts due to low temperature. But as the leakage increased over time, the government was forced to seek expert opinion after the initial denial.

Another official said the water level in the reservoir has been kept low as a precautionary measure to minimise pressure on the cracked wall.

The issue was highlighted when a group of residents informed reporters in Gilgit that over 70 families settled downstream risked being swept away in case of a breach.

Complete report at Express Tribune

Pamir Times

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Pamir Times is the pioneering community news and views portal of Gilgit – Baltistan, Kohistan, Chitral and the surrounding mountain areas. It is a voluntary, not-for-profit, non-partisan and independent venture initiated by the youth.

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