The issue of construction of dams came under discussion in the Senate after it appeared that the Kalabagh Dam featured on the government’s list of ‘ready for construction’ projects. This was disclosed when a list of under-construction, ready for construction and under-planning hydel power projects was presented before the Senate by the Ministry of Water and Power on Friday. The House was told in a written reply that the detailed design and tender documents of the 3,600-megawatt Kalabagh Dam had been completed in 1988, but the construction of the dam could be undertaken by the government only on the basis of a “consensus decision.” Not much of a protest was witnessed in the House as Minister of State for Water and Power Abid Sher Ali referred to resolutions adopted by certain provincial assemblies against the project, and said that the government would not undertake construction of any controversial project. The other two ready for construction projects are 34.5MW Harpo power project and 1320MW fifth Tarbela Dam extension project. The house was informed that both projects had been approved by the concerned authorities and the process of hiring consultants was under progress.
At a time when there are credible organisations that predict that Pakistan is expected to face a severe water shortage by 2025, building dams should have been a priority of the government along with other development projects. While it is comprehensible that the most chronic issue the past few governments have faced is that of electricity, other issues should also be kept in sight. Many power projects have been initiated to curb the electricity crisis crippling the country’s economy, and now the focus of the government should also be to divert the looming water crisis. The situation of water shortage in Karachi should have rung alarm bells for the authorities, and it would not be long before the other cities of Pakistan could face such a potential threat. The issue of the Kalabagh Dam has been around for a while, and even the government of General Pervez Musharraf could not ensure its establishment. It is highly unlikely that the work would start on this project in the near future. Dasu and Diamer Bhasha are the two much-touted alternatives, inaugurated by the current government approximately two years ago. Despite being aware of the looming threat to the country, it is unfortunate to note that work has not been initiated on both of these projects. The dispute between the local landowners and the WAPDA authorities has not let the project to take off. A similar situation persists in the case of the Diamer Bhasha Dam as well. While it is known that such projects require a long time to finish, any added delays would only add to the woes of people of Pakistan.
Most of the projects initiated under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor for energy production are non-hydel. Recent reports suggest that these projects, once finished, would be enough to cater to the energy needs of the country. Therefore in the future, government should focus on hydel projects to move towards clean energy. For that, multipurpose dams are necessary, and government should look into its misplaced priorities to address the looming threats. *