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| May 22, 2005 | Sunday | Rabi-us-Sani 13, 1426 |
Closure of Shatung project opposed
SKARDU, May 21: The people of Skardu have opposed cancellation of the Shatung canal project that will hamper the multi-purpose Satpara Dam ostensibly on the objection by a non-government organization Himalayan Green Wild Life Foundation. Talking to Dawn various people said that the cancellation of diversion of the Shatung canal project is a conspiracy to hinder developmental works of the area.
They said that the Deosai plateau was owned by the dwellers of Skardu and they would never allow anyone to interfere in their affairs.
“Diversion of the Shatung canal project is the dire need of the time. We have no choice but to divert the Shatung canal to cope with the increasing scarcity of drinking and irrigation water. So, we are having rights reserved to divert the direction of the Shatung canal towards Satpara Dam when needed for drinking or irrigation purposes,” Ghulam Ali, a dweller of Skardu remarked.
Addressing a press conference here the other day, former chairman district council Skardu and Pakistan Muslim League leader said: “The Satpara Dam project is a gift of President Gen Pervez Musharraf for the inhabitants of Baltistan. We will not let any conspiracy to succeed against this great project.”
Criticizing the activities of the Himalayan Wildlife, he said: “To stop work on diversion of the Shatung canal on an objection by an NGO is unjust and unfair. The existence of the Himalayan Wildlife in Deosai itself is causing to be harmful for the wildlife because the said NGO instead of conserving the wildlife of the area was selling precious birds and rare animals, like the brown bear, at exorbitant rates abroad.”
“The number of brown bears in Deosai was 90, but after arrival of this NGO the number of bears, instead of increasing, had decreased to only nine. In addition to this, many people use explosives in the streams in Deosai for fishing purposes but the NGO was doing nothing to restrain it,” he accused.
Skardu Municipality Vice-Chairman Ahmed Ali said: “Cancellation of diversion of the Shatung canal will destroy the economy of the inhabitants of Skardu. We will fully resist it.”
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