A letter in this paper has mentioned the resolutions of the three assemblies against Kalabagh dam. The assembly members have every right to voice their regional concerns but then must leave these to be addressed by competent authority rather than pass resolutions.
There are many technical issues involved: Optimum river water storage, presently very low at nine percent against a world average of 40 percent, low storage leads to low per capita per annum availability of water, down from 5000 to 1200 cubic meters, barely above the water-scarce level, wet and dry periods resulting in floods and drought, necessity of transfer from wet to dry period for uniform supplies for agriculture and community services, for sowing in the Rabi period, for year round power generation, for contingency reserves, presently very low at 30 days leaving us at the mercy of India. No country with rivers has less than 100 days contingency reserves.
Should minor regional concerns stand in the way of major benefits for the 18 crore people? Sindh will get all the benefits of power and water without losing even one acre of land or the displacement of even one person. KP will get water it will never get from any dam on the Indus if there is no right bank canal at Kalabagh dam. KP will lose 3000 acres of land versus 24,500 in Punjab. KP will get 34,500 people displaced versus 48,500 in Punjab.
KHURSHID ANWER
Lahore
