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| December 9, 2005 | Friday | Ziqa’ad 6, 1426 |
New dams needed for development: Soomro
JACOBABAD, Dec 8: Acting president Mohammedmian Soomro has said dams are necessary for the future development needs of the country. He was talking to journalists at the town hall here on Wednesday. He said had there been no Mangla or Tarbela dam, the country would have been facing shortage of water today. He added that the Kalabagh dam was also essential because it would irrigate one million acres of land lying barren due to non-availability of water.
Answering a question, he said the government would not impose its decision on the nation and the Kalabagh dam issue would be resolved through consensus after considering opinions of political and religious leaders and experts.
He said it was not possible to construct dams anywhere and such a site was selected for a dam from where supply of water was easy.
Replying to another question, he said the government had not raised the Kalabagh dam issue to divert attention of people from the earthquake devastation. Relief and rehabilitation efforts for earthquake-affected people were continuing, he added.
He said dams would prove beneficial in alleviating poverty and unemployment in the country because it would create jobs if more lands were brought under cultivation. Shortage of water from 1998 to 2004 had adversely affected agriculture of the country, he added.
Mr Soomro denied that any changes were being made in the government and said affairs of the country were being run smoothly. He added that the general election would be held in 2007.
Earlier, speaking at a seminar on “Reproductive health, population and development,” Mr Soomro said revolutionary changes were required to improve the living standard of people and provide them with basic facilities at their doorsteps.
The seminar had been arranged by Dr Nisar Ahmad Solangi.
Mr Soomro said priority was being given to education, health, drainage and potable water schemes.
He said foreign companies had been invited to invest in the country to alleviate poverty and unemployment.
He said Rs1.5 billion would be spent on potable water and drainage schemes.
The senate chairman said hepatitis and other fatal diseases were spreading due to consumption of dirty and unhygienic drinking water.
He said an office of the national development programme would soon be opened in Jacobabad which would provide jobs to 2000 people of the area.
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