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| October 5, 2005 | Wednesday | Sha’aban 30, 1426 |
Foreign funding for large dams rejected
THATTA, Oct 4: Speakers at a seminar on Monday castigated financial assistance of the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank for construction of controversial water projects in Pakistan.
They said instead of funding more dams, the World Bank and other financial institutions should help rehabilitation of three million inhabitants of Sindh’s deltaic region affected by Tarbila and Mangla dams and Chasma-Jhelum and Taunsa-Panjnad canals of Punjab.
The seminar “The construction of mega projects and its effects on society” was organized by the Participatory Development Initiatives.
Former Senator Qazi Abdul Majid, Awami Tehrik leader Nazir Memon, sociologist Sikandar Brohi, Mitho Lashari, Adam Gandhro, HRCP’s Nazir Jakhro and Mustafa Zaur spoke on the occasion.
They said the Kalabagh dam would yield nothing positive results but prove to be a death warrant for Sindh.
They said without releasing at least 35MAF water in the Indus downstream and facilitating some three million people none of the mega or small project would yield results.
They said funding by the Asian Development Bank for a number of fishing business and agriculture development projects being executed in Thatta and Badin districts were planned conspiracies to settle outsiders from the Ghaggar Crossing to Keti Bunder.
They said hundreds of acres of fertile lands were being allotted to people of an ethnic political group.
They said a new district would be created out of the Thatta district and the area to be included into it would be Dhabeji, Gharo and Sakro.
Qazi Majid said there was no water shortage in the country but intention behind the issue was to enslave the people of Sindh.
He said there was a plan to eliminate centuries-old history and culture of Sindh and to isolate Sindhis in the comity of nations.
He said Punjab had violated the 1991 Water Accord by availing two million acre feet (MAF) water in addition to its legitimate share.
Sikandar Brohi said the Asian Development Bank by funding the LBOD ruined Badin district and devastated its inhabitants.
He said under-construction RBOD would ruin the Keenjhar Lake and Haleji bird sanctuary.
He said big projects of fish harbour, desalination plants and hatcheries being funded in Thatta and Badin districts were meant to accommodate aliens in the area.
The seminar formed a four-member “Save Indus Delta Committee”, comprising of former Senator Qazi Abdul Majid, Awami Tehrik leader Nazir Memon, sociologist Sikandar Brohi and journalist Zulfiqar Halepoto.
The seminar entrusted the committee to create consensus in Sindh and make strategies to encounter the situation.
The committee also decided to compile statistics, facts and figures and interact with the state authorities.
It called upon financing agencies to enter a debate and convince Sindh prior to go ahead with implementation of controversial mega water projects.
KILLED: A peasant, Qamaruddin Mirjat, was shot dead by rivals in Qabil Mirjat village near Bhagar Mori on Tuesday.
A case was registered against Ghulam Nabi Eidoo, Maula Bux, Hussain and Niaz at the Thatta police station.
COMMUTERS SUFFER: Hundreds of commuters at the national highway, who travel from Badin to Karachi and vice versa, are facing problems for the last two months as diversion provided to them, between Gujjo and Gharo, was not constructed.
A number of accidents have already occurred at the site.
The national highway contractors have provided an unconstructed 16-kilometre-long diversion route to the commuters of national high, as the highway was under construction.
The commuters have demanded proper diversion route apart from timely completion of the project.
PROCESSION: The employees of Thatta Cement Factory took out a procession on Friday to protest over the retrenchment of some workers and for the employment of locals.
Syed Fida Shah and Ashraf Jokhio led the procession which terminated at the press club.
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