LAHORE, Aug 18: The Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Saturday advocated an early construction of Kalabagh dam saying the dam is inevitable to control poverty and hunger.

In a statement issued here, chamber President Irfan Qaiser Sheikh said all those who were opposing the dam were enemies of the country as they were playing with its future. “Only because of government silence over Kalabagh dam, the country is suffering a loss of Rs132 billion annually. This amount could be saved by initiating construction of the dam.”

The LCCI president said the government should constitute a team of experts belonging to public and private sectors to convince all the provinces that KBD is necessary for the progress and prosperity of the country.

He said the experts had already proved that there was no threat to Nowshera city as it is 150 feet above the water level.

Mr Sheikh said it was very unfortunate that the decision makers in Pakistan had nothing to lose rather they continue to enjoy all perks even if they take a wrong decision.

The LCCI president said the dam would not only be beneficial to Punjab alone but it would be more helpful in erasing poverty from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as it would irrigate 800,000 acres of cultivable land that is located 100-150 feet above the Indus river level in the province. “The land could only be brought under cultivation if the river level is raised that is only possible if Kalabagh dam is built.”

He said the KBD issue had been so much politicised that a consensus would not be possible. The political leadership, he added, had been manipulating the issue for their advantage. He said civil society would have to play a crucial role in developing a larger consensus as new large water reservoirs would benefit every Pakistani.

Irfan Qaiser Sheikh said further delay in building consensus would cost the country and its coming generations very dearly. He said all stakeholders should show greater maturity on the KBD issue. “Unlike Pakistan, India is constructing dams at every possible site. It has left us decades behind and coming time does not promise any good thing either. Every one knows that the existing dams are constantly silting up leaving ever decreasing capacity to store water.”

He said an opinion gained widespread support across the country that the losses of recent floods in Pakistan which were estimated to be more than $45 billion could have been reduced if big dams and water reservoirs were in place.

He said another significant aspect connected with the construction of Kalabagh dam was the surety of sufficient amount of electricity at comparatively much cheaper price. “Electricity generation through thermal sources is estimated to cost almost Rs16 per unit whereas the same can be produced at Rs2.5 to Rs3 through hydel source. He said so far Punjab Assembly had neither passed any resolution in favour of the dam nor against it whereas other three provincial assemblies had opposed its construction. “Since, Punjab is facing the brunt of energy shortage, therefore, we strongly urge that Punjab Assembly must pass a resolution for immediately building all the feasible dams including KBD.