KARACHI, Dec 11: President Pervez Musharraf on Sunday held out an assurance of providing constitutional or any other guarantee that might help build confidence among the provinces on the issue of dams and address their reservations on the construction of water reservoirs.

The president — accompanied by Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad and Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim — was speaking to editors and senior journalists of national and regional newspapers at the Governor House here. Federal Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmad and Corps Commander Lt-Gen Syed Athar Ali were also present.

“We will provide constitutional or any other guarantee Sindh will ask for,” the president said. “Guarantee that no injustice will be committed against anyone (in water distribution after new dams are constructed).”

President Musharraf said he would welcome a decision of parliament or the Council of Common Interests about construction of new dams but if that was not forthcoming he himself would take a decision to build new reservoirs.

“At our level we will try our best to construct much-delayed Kalabagh dam until we remain in government,” he said.

Answering a question, he warned that Punjab would topple any future government which dared to halt the construction of the Kalabagh dam once work on it was undertaken.

He said it was now evident that no political party in the country could form government without the support from Punjab.

He said there was no dearth of financial support or resources for building Kalabagh or any other dam in the country as the World Bank and other donor agencies had earlier given assurances about providing every support in terms of finance and other resources.

He dispelled an impression that Punjab was stealing water and said it did not steal water even when faced with drought. In such a situation, he added, “Punjab gave 5,000 cusecs of water to Sindh out of its own share to make up for the water shortfall Sindh was facing.”

The president said in order to evolve a political consensus he was interacting with MPAs of different political parties and would also invite the opposition parties. However, he asked if the opposition did not positively respond to his invitation how would the required consensus emerge.

He assured that if a dam was built, Sindh would not only get additional two per cent water under the 1991 water accord but would also get water six to eight weeks before the Rabi and Kharif crop seasons.

Besides, he said, the construction of two to three dams would also help generate roughly 15000MW electricity.

President Musharraf said according to a study carried out by international consultants, 3.6 million acres feet (MAF) of water must flow downstream Kotri Barrage every year, and 20MAF of water once in five years. He added the 3.6MAF water would be available after a dam was built.

The government had a plan to construct a barrage with two canals in Sehwan but it would have no utility if there was no water, he argued.

He said the parliamentary and technical committees on water resources had submitted their reports, with the parliamentary body calling for implementation of the 1991 water accord, which required provision of two per cent additional water to Sindh when a dam was constructed.’

He said the parliamentary committee in its report had declared both the Kalabagh and Bhasha dams as technically feasible. Similarly, he said, the nine members of the technical committee in their report had recognized the need for additional reservoirs, including the Kalabagh dam.

“A member of the technical committee from rural Sindh advocated the construction of the Kalabagh dam but with the condition that no canal should be taken out of it.”

Answering a question, the president said that people would be taken into confidence on the dam issue. He agreed with a questioner that there should be a discussion on the issue in the assemblies.

Answering another question, he said reports of the parliamentary and technical committees would be made public with Urdu and Sindhi translations.

Answering yet another question, he said funds for new dams would not be a problem.

The president said both feasibility and technical drawings of the Kalabagh dam were ready and work on its construction could be started in a year and completed in five years.

“Feasibility of Bhasha dam is ready but its technical drawings are not. Work on technical report on a 313km road related to the dam and the technical drawings can start in 2,009 and the dam will be completed by 2,016.

“The feasibility of Akhori dam will be completed in one to two years and the dam constructed by 2,014 whereas Skardu dam can be constructed by 2,018, if found feasible.”

The president said last year the Kabul, Chitral and Swat rivers had witnessed flood. “The flood water could have been stored in Kalabagh dam but 18-20MAF water went waste into the sea.”

He said by 2,020 the country would be facing a massive water shortage of 15-20MAF and pointed out that water storage capacity of Tarbela and Mangla dams had decreased by three MAF and by 2,010 it would go further down to six MAF.

He said at least two to three dams would be needed by 2,020 and if one dam was built, Sindh would get 2.2MAF more water and 4.4MAF additional water if two reservoirs were constructed. —-Online

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