KALABAGH DAM ISSUE

Recently the Kalabagh Dam issue has become the focus of attention at national without fail has triggered a heated controversy between the supporters and opponents of the Dam. The opponents of the project, mostly belonging to the provinces of NWFP Sindh and Balochistan are of the view that construction of the Kalabagh Dam would unleash unlimited social, economic, political, ecological and humanitarian hazards which would seriously damage the vital interests of the three smaller provinces. In reply the supporters of the Dam argue that all the fears of the opponents of the Dam are unfounded because the project has been deeply scrutinized and approved by the World Bank.

Location and Site of the Dam:

The site of Kalabagh Dam is located 15 miles above the town of Kalabagh on the Indus river. It will be 260 feet above the river bed and 11000 feet in length with the storage capacity of 6.1 MAF (million acre feet) of water. The KBD will generate 3600 MW electricity. It is comparable to Tarbela (3478 MW), Mangla (1000 MW) and Warsak (240 MW). Thus it is going to be the largest hydro-electric project of Pakistan. Moreover the dam has the capacity to irrigate 24 lake acres of land.

Indus water Treaty 1960:

According to the Indus Basin Treaty signed by India and Pakistan in 1960 the waters of three eastern rivers namely Ravi, Sutlej and Bias belong to India. In addition India was allowed to take water (sufficient to irrigate 1.3 million acres) from the three western rivers viz. Indus, Jhelum and Chenab.

1991 Water Accord:

All the four provinces namely Punjab, Sindh, NWFP and Balochistan signed a water accord in 1991. According to this agreement the share of each province from the Kalabagh Dam reservoir was specified. Punjab and Sindh were to get 2.1 MAF each whereas NWFP was to receive 1.1. MAF and Balochistan were to get 0.7 MAF. In addition it was decided that at least 10 MAF water of IRS will be released to the Arabian Sea.

Other Hydel Projects Under Development:

According to the Economic Survey 1997–98 the Benghazi Botha Project, a site downstream of Tarbell near Attack, having 1450 MW capacity is under construction and is scheduled for completion by 2002. The work on Chashma Low Head Project of 184 MW will be commissioned in 2000. In addition small hydro power projects will be expected to supplement KBD with another 2000 MW electricity over a period from 2003 to 2010.

Arguments Against the Kalabagh Dam:

According to the opponents of the Kalabagh Dam the completion of the project would create serious social, economic, ecological and humanitarian problems for the three smaller provinces viz. NWFP, Singh and Baluchistan. Some of these problems are as under:

(i) Inundation of areas in Peshawar and Nowshehra.

(ii) Submerging of large areas.

(iii) Salinity and water-logging.

(iv) Dislocation of population.

(v) Effects on ecology of Indus delta.

(vi) Violation of international principle.

(vii) Reduction in volume of silt.

(viii) Destruction of riverine forests.

(ix) Negation of 1991 Water Accord.

(x) Over trapping of sediments.