Muhammad Ali
Pakistan is facing acute water scarcity over the years. Everyone is crying about shortage of water however a large quantity of water is going as sheer waste in the Arabian Sea because the country has not developed any other major storage facility in more than forty years after Tarbela dam. Already facing water insecurity, Pakistan faces a potentially catastrophic shortage of water as the ravages of global warning are leading to the further drying of our rivers. As a country which receives little rainfall, it is essential we should be prudent in the use and innovative storage of our limited water resources.
According to the experts, the problem is that our storage facilities and siltation in Mangla Chashma and Tarbela dam, can store water which is enough for 30 days. One solution to this is the construction of somewhat controversial and much criticized Kalabagh dam which is, most unfortunately, a non-starter because it is being resolutely opposed by Sindh, Khyber Pukhtunkhwah and Balochistan and only Punjab is in its favour.
Kalabagh dam can be constructed in six to eight years as spadework has been done to the extent of tenders documents etc and it can generate 2400 to 3600 megawatt of power and store more than six million acres feet (MAF) of water for three years which can be used to provide additional water to all the provinces for boosting agricultural production in the country. Kalabagh Dam is to be an earth fill 265 feet high, with water storage capacity of 6.1 MAF over River Indus with two spillways for disposal of excess flood water.
KBD water reservoir will continue with its storage capacity of over 3.2 MAF for more than 100 years. As per current situation, the reduced water supply in downstream areas in Punjab and Sindh will lead to salination of potable water at even lower depths creating shortage of drinking water availability for Punjab and Sindh. However, Sindh will be the worst affected area if Kalabagh is not built leading to reduced water supply for irrigation and fast salination of underground water. Vast areas under irrigation at present may become barren, converting them into desert. On the contrary, if the dam is constructed Sindh will get 2.257 MAF extra water from this additional storage capacity and avoid salination of underground water as well.
Sindh’ apprehensions that canals proposed to be taken out from KBD will result in reduced water supply to Sindh are unfounded. KBD project report does not include any canals from left or right flanks. Notwithstanding, construction of any canals by any province would not increase its share of water. The apprehensions are therefore baseless.
Excess water due to extreme flood peaks in Indus; Kabul and Swan rivers cause damage up to $20 billion, as was in the case in 2010, while shortage of water cuts down production of food, with main sufferer being small land holders. KBD will store flood water and release it when needed for agriculture in Sindh, thus saving the damage due to floods and meeting water required for agriculture and saving salination of ground water at shallow level.
Similarly, 850,000 acres of fertile land in Bannu and Dl Khan, which is up to 150 feet higher than the water level of Indus, can be brought under cultivation; with construction of KBD. In fact Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will be a major loser of this opportunity if KBD is not built. The KBD construction got politicised due to India sponsored lobby. India is itself using water as a weapon against Pakistan by regulating water supply to Pakistan, agreed under Indus Water Treaty signed in 1960. Due to unfounded hatred between provinces, promoted particularly against Punjab, has resulted in calling it a ‘Punjabi Dam’. India is reportedly spending billions in yearly payments to receptive and approachable elements in Sindh to sustain their opposition to the dam.
Sindh will in fact be the biggest gainer as under the Water Accord its share was lately increased to 37pc from 34pc by reducing Punjab share from 40pc to 37pc. Increased water supply due to KBD reservoir will ensure more water for irrigation besides watering 179 miles of river belt in lower Sindh that remains dry for nearly 8 months. Indeed Kalabagh dam will save land currently under cultivation from turning barren and potable water getting affected by salination at shallow level.
