AN ECONOMIC REVOLUTION IN THE OFFING
The mighty Indus River splashing its splendours flows gracefully from its origin in Baltistan glaciers, the northern most part of Kashmir meandering between the gigantic mountains of Karakorum, Hindukush and Himalays. It enters Diamer district on its onward oddyssey towards plains of Punjab and Sindh and finally merging with the Arabian Sea in the south leaving behind tales and legends remembered by the common folk down the ages.
While passing through KPK it changes its name as ‘Abaseen’, father of all rivers, denoting the dominant male culture of KPK.
Basha- an isolated, almost unknown and in significant village with a population of less than six thousand people, situated in the rugged mountains and desolate valleys of Kohistan suddenly surfaced on the print and electronic media when a decision was made by WAPDA engineers after initial surveys to construct a dam here about thirty years ago.
At Basha river Indus makes ingress in a narrow gorge where bed and banks of river are surrounded by hard Rocky Mountains.
Probably this salient feature of the terrain was a factor which attracted the WAPDA engineers to select this site for dam construction. Basha village is located about 165 kms down stream of Gilgit and 40 kms of Chilas Diamer district. Until 1934, Kohistan was a geographical entity of GB and administered by colonial officers stationed at Gilgit. Later for administrative reasons it was separated from GB and annexed with KPK. Across Basha, downstream on the right bank of river Indus an area stretching for a further 50 kms belongs to Diamer district. The enchanting valleys of ‘Darel’ and ‘Tangir’ are located here. According to the Ahmed Hasan Dani, the world famed historian and archeologist on Indus civilisation, Darel and Tangir valleys were seats of thriving Buddhist civilisation during the reign of Ashoka. These areas contained monasteries of repute and pilgrims from as far as china came here for meditation, gaining knowledge and spiritual enlightment. Even today ruins of monasteries reminiscent of their glorious past pertaining to Buddhist rule can be seen strewn in these valleys. More than twenty thousand rock carvings of Buddhist era are spread along the banks of river Indus here. The people in these valleys embraced Islam through the efforts of Muslim saints and not by an invading muslim army in the 12th century AD.
A row has broken between the people of Diamer and Kohistan districts over demarcation of the proposed dam site. The people who initially mocked the idea of dam construction now fully realise the boons and wind fall gains ensuing the dam construction. The controversies as to who would own the major portion of the dam royalty in simmering with emotions and vested interests have jumped into the foray for material gains. This situation seriously calls for the government to intervene and settle the dispute.
It is said that Basha Diamer dam after construction shall be the highest ‘roller compacted concrete dam’ in the world, an engineering marvel that would exhibit its grandeur and magnificence to the visitors for time to come.
Dam height as envisaged by WAPDA consultants shall be 270 feet above the river level and impound a water reservoir of 7.4 million acre feet (MAF). This would be enough water to be released to the thirsty lands of Punjab and Sindh during the recession period of Indus flow.
Dam project, when fully operational with its 7.4 MAF water reservoir shall cover an area of 110 kms extending upstream from the dam site to Roy-kot Bridge in Chilas Diamer district. One may imagine the awe inspiring water reservoir and 110 km long lake where visitors would be cruising in speed boats and spending their leisure time during the weekends and holidays in this man made heavenly, marvelous lake.
Dam project has in its design two diversion tunnels and one diversion canal. The diversion canals shall be used for diverting river water when construction of main dam begins. Moreover, it will have an upstream and downstream coffer dam.
Basha Diamer dam is designed to accommodate two power houses, one on either side of river Indus. The powerhouses on the right side of river Indus shall be in Diamer district and that on left shall be in Kohistan district.
Each power house shall be installed with 04 units. Eight units will be installed in two power house with a power generation capacity of 4500 megawatts. An additional 2000 megawatts of electricity can be generated after up gradation and installing new power units.
Dam construction is likely to incur a cost of 16 Billion US dollars on state exchequer which was initially estimated as 6.58 Billion US dollars.
The upstream reservoir of water will inundate 32 villages, 2408 houses, 1500 acres of cultivated land and 28000 acres of arid-land, 110 kms of kkh and shall displace 28000 people all in Diamer district and none in Kohistan district the like of which have never been undertaken in the history of Pakistan.
The government has prepared a generous package for the affected people. The land owners shall receive compensation at market price plus 10% compulsory acquisition charges. Those deprived of the houses will be paid in full plus 10% of the house price. There is another ambitious plan of constructing 9 model villages in available land above the water reservoir.
The affectees will be allotted 05-1 canal of land for construction of their new houses, vocational training and educational facilities shall be provided to the children of affected people and 100 mega watts of electricity will be provided to consumers in Gilgit Baltistan.
By generating electricity and providing water for irrigation it is predicted that the dam would add 5 percent in country’s GDP and industrial sector.
Construction of Diamer Basha dam will usher an economic revolution among the poverty stricken people of Diamer and Kohistan districts by providing jobs to an enormous number of people during and after the construction.
About two thousand people will be employed on permanent footing not with standing the downstream industry and business that will ensue once the dam is commissioned. Income generated by navigation and fishing will be an exclusive right of GB government. Apportioning of dam royalty is to be decided by the central government and people of GB and Kohistan will get their due share as per government decision.
This fabulously built dam and its water reservoir will attract tourists from within and abroad the country and income so generated shall go a long way in alleviating the poverty of this region whose people have endured miserable living since centuries.
