Thaindian News

Dubai, July 1 (IANS) Leading Indian water technology specialist VA Tech Wabag has won a contract worth 8 million Omani riyals ($20.8 million) to build a water desalination plant in Oman. The company signed an agreement with Oman’s Rural Areas Electricity Company (RAEC), a subsidiary of the state-owned Electricity Holding Company SOAC, to build the plant in Duqm, in central eastern Oman, on an engineering-procurement-construction basis, according to the local media.

The plant, which will have a 6,000 cubic metres desalination capacity per day, is expected to meet the potable water needs of a future township in Duqm, 450 km from the Omani capital Muscat, on the coast of the Arabian Sea.

Along with the township, a major tourism resort, a world-class dry dock facility and an industrial hub are being planned in the area.

The township is expected to have a population of 200,000.

According to reports, VA Tech Wabag’s plant will be built over two phases. While the first stage will be commissioned in the second half of 2009, the second stage is expected to become operational by 2012.

The Indian company has given the assurance that the project would be environment-friendly and not affect marine life.

VA Tech Wabag executive director Amit Sengupta told the Oman Tribune newspaper that screens at the point of intake would ensure that marine life was not harmed.

“Additionally, local chlorination will be done to deter marine life from coming near the point,” he was quoted as saying after signing the agreement in Muscat.

Started in 1996, VA Tech Wabag has operations in 18 countries.

Within a span of 10 years, it achieved a turnover of Rs.3 billion and a backlog of Rs.7 billion, according to a statement on the company’s website.

In November last year, it became a wholly owned Indian company with headquarters in Chennai.