We as a nation do not believe in admitting a mistake, and if on the rare occasion we do so, we refuse to learn from it. We opposed Tarbela dam because we thought it will deprive Sindh from the waters of the Indus. When in fact it increased Sindh’s indent from 35.6 million acre feet (maf) to 44.5 maf, we continued to blame it for drying up the Indus delta, not realising that it is the 14 canals at the three barrages of Sindh which are consuming all the water, leaving nothing for the delta. And why are the canals consuming all the water, because the demand for irrigation water has increased in proportion to the increase in population from 8 to 19 crore over the 40 years since Tarbela dam was commissioned.
In view of the above we should be asking for another dam, but in our sublime ignorance we are opposing Kalabagh dam for exactly the same reason for which we blamed Tarbela dam. The other reasons being put forward by politicians are equally inane, but that is another story for another time.
ENGR KHURSHID ANWER
Lahore