THE government would do well to give a hearing to the views of those opposing the construction of the Hingol dam in Balochistan`s Lasbela district. It has been in the works since 1992 when a feasibility report was prepared. The design of the dam provides for enough storage to irrigate 90,000 acres and generate 735KW of electricity. But as is the case with any major development project, it comes at a human cost. In Hingol`s case the price that has to be paid is a major political one. If the dam is built it will partially submerge three Hindu holy places and affect the Hinglaj yatra. The Hindu community has protested against this project on religious grounds. Wapda, which is to build the dam, has offered to shift the temples which will be affected but the Hindu MNAs have opposed the relocation of the temple. Instead, they demand the relocation of the dam. There is opposition from yet another source — the Balochistan Assembly. In June last year, the Assembly adopted a joint resolution — with only one member voting against it — demanding the project be dropped.

The government has so far not announced how it will respond. Will it proceed with its plans in the name of development? Or will it modify the project in deference to the sensitivities of the Hindu minority? Hingol could also emerge as another cause for alienating the Baloch who feel aggrieved by the centre`s domination. Next we may have environmentalists asking if an environmental impact assessment has been carried out which is mandatory for such projects. All these questions do not have easy answers. With the project already delayed by several years and new questions being raised, there is a need for reviewing the cost-benefit ratio of building the dam. The government should proceed according to its plans only if the advantages it offers are phenomenally more than the alienation it will cause to the Hindu minority and the Baloch. Not to be discounted is its propaganda value for India whose nationals come annually for pilgrimage to Hinglaj.