Floods and Kalabagh Dam
by MUNAWAR HASSAN, Islamabad
Sir: I can recall Prime Minister (PM) Gilani’s first speech in parliament, when he categorically rejected the construction of the Kalabagh Dam. Later, it was observed that he appeared very political about the subject. Raja Pervaiz Ashraf also refused to reject the scheme. Now PM Gilani has come up with an even more surprising stance that the destruction caused by the floods could have been averted had the dam been in place. It is baffling to see that the PM thinks that the amount of floodwater is just six million acre feet (MAF), which is the capacity of the Kalabagh Dam. The volume of floodwater runs up to 1.2 million cusecs (more than 100 MAF). What does PM Gilani propose for the rest of the 94 MAF of water? Moreover, the disaster would have aggravated if the water had flown upstream due to the dam on the Indus River. In addition, to collect water from a flood (which is a rare occurrence in Pakistan), the country’s leadership is prepared to destroy the Indus delta permanently. I humbly request the PM to avoid making such statements in public that perplex the people rather than giving them courage to face the calamity.
Courtesy: DAILY TIMES, August 12, 2010
Indus Asia Online Journal (Click here to go to home page)
Might-Punjab wants to suck blood of Sindhis till last drop by constructing controversial Kalabagh dam in Punjab.
Punjab is busy to prove that three out of four provinces are against Pakistan and only Punjab is well-wisher of Pakistan and also rest three provinces. Therefore, they are not willing to accept about 10 Resolutions passed by three out of four provincial assemblies against controversial Kalabagh dam in Punjab. What a shame!
Poor prime minister Gillani does not know dams like Kalabagh are not meant to store water of super flood. This year spate of high flood was more than 1.2 million cusecs. How a dam with capacity of 6.1 MAF would store water of 100MAF?
Further dams in Pakistan are filled BEFORE monsoon.
Prime minister Gillani, Governor Punjab Salman Taseer, chief of PML-Q Chaudhry Shujat, chief minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif all belonging to Punjab are speaking the language of Punjab. Instead of misguiding the nation, they should tell the truth. Why they remain mum about destruction of Indus delta, mass migration of one million people, tremendous increase in unemployment and poverty, sea intrusion, ruination of environment and eco-system and much more because it is in Sindh. What a shame…!!
This is the fact, I think Our respected Prime Minster should avoid political statement regarding construction of Kalabag Dam. bcz He is Prime minster of Pakistan not a P.M of Punjab.
with regards,