Kalabagh Dam to save $4 billion annually

[A.Rafay]

LAHORE-It may be news for many in Pakistan but it is a fact that all the federating units of the country had agreed on the need of building water reservoirs on the Indus and other rivers in the water accord of 1991.
In paragraph 6 of the ‘Apportionment of Water Agreement, 1991’, the participants of the conference recognized the need for building reservoirs wherever possible on the Indus and other rivers.
It can be argued that the government could construct dams on the basis of water accord of 1991 which was approved by the Council of Common Interest (CCI) on March 21 in the same year.
Khan Abdul Wali Khan, whose Awami National Party was a coalition partner in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government (then North Western Frontier Province), had said on that occasion that he was fully satisfied with the water apportionment.
He also said that the provinces had made the happy beginning of resolving their mutual differences through negotiations. “If this trend is pursued, it will help eliminate the existing bitterness among them and solve their problems.” he said.
Then NWFP chief minister Mir Afzal Khan said, “At present 1.8 million acres were being irrigated in the province but with the new allocation it will be increased by 50 percent.” “Some 0.9 million acres more in the NWFP could be irrigated from Kalabagh Dam, which would also provide water for irrigation to D I Khan, Tank, Bannu, Lucky Marwat and Karak districts.”
All studies and calculations made on the feasibility of Kalabagh Dam show that the project is executable in all respects.
According to one of the studies, the Kalabagh Dam will have the capacity of generating 3,600 megawatt of electricity which will save $4 billion annually for the country, excluding the 30 percent line losses. The dam will have the capacity of generating 31.5 billion electricity units annually and can return its cost in five years if the consumers are charged Rs 2.50 per unit, say experts.
They say that after five years only Rs 1 per unit will be feasible to charge whereas the electricity generated by the diesel is being charged Rs 19 per unit. The dam can save $12 billion annually for the national exchequer and is estimated cost is $5.56 billion. Whereas the Diamir-Bhasha Dam will cost $12 billion and more than 200 kilometer road is required in mountainous area to start the construction of dam, besides 300 kilometer heavy transmission lines will have to be laid to connect the National Grid from Bhasha to Terbela. It will further cost the exchequer $3 billion. If funds are regularly provided, the dam will be built in 12 years.
This is why international financers are not ready to risk their investment. Experts say that the Kalabagh Dam is the only dam which can store the water of KabulRiver and if this dam were not built, Pakistan may lose the water rights of Kabul River,under the international laws,forever.

Kalabagh Dam to save $4 billion annually | The Nation

 

[VCheng]

Recognition is very different from agreement.

To say this:

it is a fact that all the federating units of the country had agreed on the need of building water reservoirs on the Indus and other rivers

based on this:

the participants of the conference recognized the need for building reservoirs wherever possible on the Indus and other rivers.

is simply not correct.

 

[farhan_9909]

its been fcking more than a decade they are discussing this

now the next both govt are from punjab PTI or PMLN
both will nt allow kalabagh dam construction

 

[AZADPAKISTAN2009]

This is actually going on since 60's

Each year we waste Million and Millions of Gallon of water .. it falls into Sea unused

If we used the damn we can probbly turn whole Balouchistan into green farmland that much water

We should do what China ..did ... plan and build .......

Whole country should not be ransom to PPP and the thugs who make up stories about water shoratge

 

[Hyde]

its been fcking more than a decade they are discussing this

now the next both govt are from punjab PTI or PMLN
both will nt allow kalabagh dam construction

Actually both PTI or PML-N has no objections over Kalabagh issue. The objections were raised by Benazir Bhutto and ANP members made it a matter of ego by twisting the facts and fooling around with the public. Every political party from Punjab was always the supporter of Kalabagh dam but both ANP and PPP (and MQM up to certain extents) made it more like an ego-issue rather than thinking about the betterment of the country or coming up with an alternative solution. The objections were raised in K-P and Sindh.. not from Punjab or Balochistan

 

[Edevelop]

^^ Yes you are right. The issue is indeed raised from Sindh.

 

[v9s]

This is actually going on since 60's

Each year we waste Million and Millions of Gallon of water .. it falls into Sea unused

lol...bhai, the water isn't "wasted" if it goes into the sea. It keeps the salt water from ingressing inland.

 

[TechMan]

Well I am 100% in favour of building Kalabagh Dam but there should be consensus. I know that Sindh and KPK are bullshitting on this issue but still their assemblies have voted against this dam so we should not build it otherwise it will create rift and enemies will take advantage of it. Instead we should bring change by our votes and send honest people in assemblies next year.
So you all vote PTI in your respective province so when it comes into power, they can simply pass resolution in favour of dam and then we can tell PeePeePee and ANP to **** off!

 

[AZADPAKISTAN2009]

I think the issue of `debate `fails because in end we are dealing with Wadere ka beta and his betis

The real issue is that people who should be deciding are `Scientist`of nation who work for federal government not ...

Wadera ka beta and his beti

Kala Bagh has been proven to be a NO BRAINER ...

It gives you 4 billion dollars saving in electricity and power cost & plus you get drinkable water
so how does it creates an issue water shoratge in Wadera Land


Plus it protects you from `FLOODING`the one we had in 2010 the amount of water generated in that time could have filled up the damn and saved us enough water to turn Balouchistan into disney land


Situation:

Scientist : We need to build Damn
Punjabai : Ok go ahead can you move it little in our province side so we get budget plus
Paktoon : We need it little bit on our side so we get some $$
Balouchis : We need freaking water can you send us truck load
Sindhis : Oye , koi damn nahi bane ga , Najoomi na kaha hai .. damn bana to meri empire
gir gaigi .. he tells his ghulams damn creation is against religion

General Public:

 

[My-Analogous]

This is actually going on since 60's

Each year we waste Million and Millions of Gallon of water .. it falls into Sea unused

If we used the damn we can probbly turn whole Balouchistan into green farmland that much water

We should do what China ..did ... plan and build .......

Whole country should not be ransom to PPP and the thugs who make up stories about water shoratge

Our planners are fcking sleeping since 1960's if we can't make that in 1960's try to build other dams and make Kala bagh dam last dam to construct but they are still sleeping and make Pakistani's lives worst. If we make one dam per decade till date we had 5 dams at least and we didn't face water and electricity problem + our GDP had in between 400 billion to 500 billion.

But we are still discussing fcking Kala bagh Dam.

 

[AZADPAKISTAN2009]

The main issue is that Federal Government has no power , they are slaves to demands of Provinces

Provinces have uneducated Wadera Class, who always ask , whats in it for me (cash wise)

The Benefit is @ Federal level that it will give more surplus to Pakistan's annual Budget
but provinces have people who want to take 100% profit to themselves that is the problem which has divided opinion

What should have happened was

a) Federal Government should have given a go ahead if the project was approved
Yes it was approved by Local Pakistani Scientist
Yes it was approved by decade long stufy by International Scientist
Yes it was double checked by other scientist

But who decided on the out come Metric fail , Goons and their thugs

The ideal was in process since 60's but initially there was lack of funding and then things got delayed after financial turmoil due to 2 wars with India and then , lack of funding in Zia's time ... but billions were spent in research


The problem is , when government comes in power from 1 Province , then they only care about that region that is why we need to split Pakistan into 100-200 counties ... as oppose to 4-5 large provinces so that governments and politicians look at the BIG picture ...


Federal Government (Nation Wide Decisions and benefits)

>>>>> Provincial (Effects only certain zones)

>>>>>>>>>Regional Policies (Very limited effect)

Note this was recommended by World Bank which recommended
need of a DAM, after Sindh Tass Treaty for water share betwene India and Pakistan

Strangely Bhutto started the construction efforts stopped by Zia in 80's


The Dam was to be completed in 1993....

Imagine , GDP would have been 4% higher
2010 flood may not have ever happened
There would be no load shedding
There would be industrial revolution in Pakistan 1993-2012

Great views on this video below , on how this project came into being since 60s