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DAM-L Water availability decreasing - Pakistan, projections
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From: Right to Water <right-to-water@iatp.org>
To: dianne@sandelman.ottawa.on.ca
Subject: Water availability will lower down
Date: Sun, 27 May 2001 05:25:57 -0500
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Right to Water (right-to-water@iatp.org) Posted: 05/27/2001 By daima@brain.net.pk
============================================================
Water availability will lower down
The Nation, By Our Staff Reporter, 24/5/2001
http://www.nation.com.pk/daily/today/main/top15.htm
LAHORE - According to official estimates, per capita water availability in
Pakistan will lower down to 1,000 cubic meter per person (CMPP) in 2012 from
present 1,400 CMPP as compared to standard 1,700 cubic meter. Below 500 CMPP
water availability is critical for human beings, which ultimately forces all
the creature to flee from the area. This was stated by Ahmad Khan Bhatti,
General Manager (Water) Wapda while delivering a lecture on "Water Crisis in
Pakistan" here on Wednesday. The lecture was held under the auspices of
Pakistan Engineering Congress (PEC). Brig (Retd) Shadab Ali Khan, Secretary
Punjab Communication and Works Department, presided over the function.
Ahmad Khan Bhatti said that Pakistan had the per capita water availability
at 5,600 CMPP in 1947 which has declined due to variety of reasons. He said
that due to increasing population and the fact that no major development
could be done in the water resource development during the past couple of
decades, the water availability had been reduced considerably. He said that
Pakistan was currently facing a shortage of 40 million acre feet (MAF) which
would touch the alarming figure of 110 MAF in 2013 and 150 MAF in 2025. Mr
Bhatti stressed the need for building several large, medium and small
storages to irrigate an additional 59 million acre feet (MAF) of agriculture
land. He said that at present 17.10 MAF of storage water is in operation
which is quite insufficient for our growing needs. An additional 59 MAF of
water could be added to the existing irrigation system which could make
Pakistan self-sufficient in food requirements without depending on external
resources, he stated.
Giving a break-up, he said that 34.21 MAF water could be stored at sites on
rivers and tributaries, 21.65 MAF on off-channel storage and 3.10 MAF by
raising Mangla Dam. He said that the study of Mangla raising were being
reviewed to ascertain certain issues. "Wapda has undertaken several measures
to develop the water resources and hydropower development under the 2025
Vision Programme. These included construction of Gomal Zam Dam, Mirani Dam,
Kachhi Canal; a new barrage at Mithankot, Chashma Right Bank Lift Canal,
Greater Thal Canal; riverine area development; Thar and Sehwan Barrage
Complex," he elaborated. He said, Wapda engineers and experts are at present
studying these projects including Basha Dam which would be completed in
about two and half years. He said that all these projects would be funded by
the Federal government and Wapda. He said that it was decided to spend Rs 50
billion to 60 billion annually on completion of all these projects. "The
projects of the first phase has already been approved by the government," he
added.
Rejecting the opposition of some world bodies on building large dams, Mr
Bhatti said that as we have large rivers, we have no option but to built big
dams. He said that China and India had built a number of large dams by
ignoring the objections of these bodies.
The General Manager (Water) Wapda said that poverty in Pakistan can be
eradicated, among other things, through integration and coordination of
country's resources and no economic development can be made in the country
without developing the water resources. "Poverty is mostly spread in rural
areas which must be fully developed as this is the need of the hour," he
observed. Mr Bhatti said that agriculture, which is the largest sector of
the country, has been facing shortfall due to water shortage. To a question
about the construction of Kalabagh Dam (KBD), he said that Pakistan would
have to pay very high price if the dam was not built adding that the country
would have to pay even higher price if it tried to construct it without
developing consensus among the concerned circles.
He admitted, we failed to create awareness on the construction of KBD. He
said that the Wapda planned to develop dams at all the proposed sites adding
that the Kalabagh Dam would be constructed after developing consensus among
the provinces. Speaking on the occasion, Punjab Communication and Works
Secretary, Brig (Retd) Shadab Ali Khan, urged the engineers community to
play their role in evolving inter-provincial consensus on the construction
of the Kalabagh Dam.
Development VISIONS,
48 A, Shalimar Colony,
Bosan Road, Multan- Pakistan
Ph:++92-61-222609
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