WAPDA
went through a major transformation and disintegration in early 2000s. The
Power Wing dealing with thermal generation and all distribution entities was
detached from WAPDA. Later on, transmission line system was also made
independent of WAPDA. From a leading engineering organization of Pakistan with
a strength of over 150,000 officers and workers it suddenly had a steep fall to
a strength of less than 15,000 only. Before this debacle, Water Wing of WAPDA
was already stripped of its major role of planning, design and construction of
irrigation and drainage sector.
During
early 2000 WAPDA literally lost its control on technical prowess of its
engineers when under the Vision 2025 Program, WAPDA distributed/awarded
consultancy services of various small and medium dams, storage and hydropower
projects. With the award of these consultancies WAPDA engineers felt like
becoming redundant and working sans authority and responsibilities. In a way it
severely hampered growth and capacity building of WAPDA engineers in years to
come. This further exacerbated to already weakened WAPDA engineers when slowly
and without being noticed domination of non-engineers took place in WAPDA at
the helm of decision making.
After
the fragmentation of WAPDA in early 2000s the high echelon of civil and
electrical engineers became powerless while Administrative and Finance Wings
gripped firm control on decision making. The fallout could be witnessed through
abolition of technical positions and creation of new administrative and
finance/accounting positions in last 10-15 years.
WAPDA’s
scope is now restricted to planning, building and operation of hydropower
projects only. This step sans PSDP funding for Water Sector development
projects makes WAPDA’s financial liquidity position as fragile. WAPDA’s
financial strength gets further delicate in view of federal government’s
inability to fully fund new development projects. WAPDA has to chip in with its
equity in every new hydropower project. Besides, it also seeks commercial
financing through local banks in order to achieving “financial-close” of the new
projects. Not to forget that WAPDA’s source of income has become dependent on
NEPRA’s tariff allowed on hydropower plants under feasibility/design,
construction and operation.
Further,
creation of “Assignment Accounts” by Planning Commission for new projects has
deprived WAPDA from collection of 2.5% Overheads. This step makes it hard for
WAPDA to operate and finance non-hydropower Water Wing offices. WAPDA once took
up the matter with the federal govt. for enhancing the overheads up to about
10% but perhaps did not purse vigorously. The research organizations like SMO,
IWASRI, MONA, ISRIP etc., have lost their touch due to scarcity of funds and
are merely pulling on and may be shut down not in very distant future like
P&I Org. and Hydrogeology which have vanished from the scene. Technical
Services Org. is merely providing services for review and evaluation of PC-Is
and PC-IIs prepared by other formations. WAPDA is having severe dearth of
Economists for preparation and evaluation of “Economic and Financial Analysis” needed
for PC-Is of future projects. Similarly, CDO has become spineless and does
petty design works, and in most cases, it reproduces old designs. WAPDA
Environmental Cell (WEC) is also reeling from bare minimum “relevant” staff.
It’s
also disheartening that Water Wing of WAPDA is without its head on regular
basis i.e. Member Water since early 2017. This highly important and coveted
position is being assigned to one of the regular General Managers of Water Wing
on additional charge basis on “pick n choose” principle for short spans. Even a
GM (Hydel), a Mechanical Engineer, who was already holding addition charge of
Member (Power), had been Member Water for about a year in 2018-19. This musical
chair game is going on for long now.
Career Development:
Every
engineer in WAPDA serves nearly 35 years of his life if their induction takes
place immediately after graduation which normally happens under 25 years of
age. After having completed compulsory induction trainings, they are placed randomly
in various formations, without considering their technical capabilities and aptitude.
During the following years of their career, postings remain indiscriminate
unless they use influence, external and internal, for transfer on their
favourite positions and places.
Generally,
there are three categories of WAPDA engineers:
a) Some engineers perform really well in their respective areas and work tirelessly and diligently. Their reputation travels to high level and since they have been “labelled” to work in a particular office therefore, they keep working in such offices for long, get promoted and posted in the same place. Such formations are Central Contract Cell, Hydro Planning, Planning and Investigation (defunct now), CDO, DSO, Environment, etc. Since these people remain working in one office for years (even decades) therefore they lack the capacity and vision to take on field jobs.
Similarly, some other engineers get posted in the field and they excel serving there. Once becoming habitual of working in a relatively independent environment, they don’t like to work “desk jobs” and consider themselves chained, powerless and becoming like clerks if posted in indoor offices.
b) Engineers falling under “jack of all” category, though technically strong and efficient, are kept rotated/ posted in almost every field, every place, hard area or desk job. They are exceptionally well in adjusting to every kind of situation and possess strong adaptability to work under stress and in emergent circumstances. They are destined to become project directors, general managers and beyond, if luck favoured.
c) This is special category of those who like to work in Lahore only, come what may. Majority of engineers/ technical experts who hail from Lahore or adjoining areas never want to leave Lahore (even if learning process is stalled). They are compromised in nature and avoid challenging jobs.
As
far as career development and management of engineers is concerned it can be
firmly termed as “nonexistent” in WAPDA. There could be many “off the shelf”
models available for career development or a “tailor made” model could be had through
hiring experts. One of such models could be that: after induction trainings the
engineers should be placed in various organizations for a term of two years (could
be one year too, depending on the situation). They may be kept rotated in at
least five different formations during first 10 out of 35 years of their
service. The engineers must be knowing about their postings well in advance for
the next 5-10 years. After having completed this phase the GMs/ DGs in “career
management cell” should evaluate their performance and aptitude for designing
future of the engineers for rest of their service with WAPDA. The promotional
exams and trainings in vogue are useless and obsolete in nature. Similarly,
ACRs system is outdated too. Part of ACR should be written by the engineers/
officers themselves. Innovative and modern practices are need of the hour. WAPDA
engineer have inherent deficiency of taking the not-technical matters lightly
and casually. In order for them to reach top positions they must demonstrate
and improve their proficiency in English, and enhance understanding of administrative
and financial matters.
At
this particular point in time when I am writing this piece it is promising to
say that three large projects i.e. Dasu Hydropower Project, Mohmand Dam Project
and the giant Diamer Basha Dam Project have already gone into implementation/construction
phase. The next ten years would be an era of great learning experience for
WAPDA engineers provided they are assigned role, authority and responsibility
to, at least, supervising construction activities. If they kept on doing
coordination activities (among WAPDA, Consultants and Contractors), merely
reporting periodic progress of work, and preparing briefs and presentations, the
learning experience would never be gained.
I
wish WAPDA to prosper, serve the nation with dignity and regain its well-deserved
glory that it lost some decades ago.
