After years of money and energy spent on this project now its been folded, is it a step forward or step back?
Federal Minister for Water and Power, Raja Pervez Ashraf has said that controversial Kala Bagh Dam project has been discarded forever.
He said government would construct dams with national consensus and there would be no load shedding from next year.
Addressing a press conference in Lahore, Raja Pervez Ashraf said resolutions had been tabled in Sindh and NWFP assemblies against the project therefore the amount allocated for Kala Bagh dam would be spent on other projects.
He said new projects included Bhasha dam, Skardu dam, Neelum Jhelum Nandi Pur, Chicho Ki Mallya and Faisalabad Project. He said after getting 2200 mw additional electricity, there would be no load shedding from 2009.
Raja Pervez Ashraf said shops would be asked to close at 9 pm and other effective measure would be taken to save electricity.
He said WAPDA and PEPCO would continue to work as autonomous organizations. The Minister said work on alternative energy projects was underway which was ignored in the past.
Re: Kala Bagh Dam project discarded: Federal Minister for Water and Power
Kalabagh was done for, in terms of feasibility for the last 5-6 years it was just used an excuse to divert people's attentions from more pressing issues, but that wont work anymore. I am not surprised why its officially shelved now.
Re: Kala Bagh Dam project discarded: Federal Minister for Water and Power
This was about 4-5 months ago, there was a thread about it
The News: President Musharraf has said that Kala Bagh Dam is inevitable for Pakistan, however, this particular project would be rationalised at an appropriate time at any cost.
While talking in a televised programme ‘Aiwan-e-Sadr Sey’, President said that strong economy and economic status are essential for the progress of any country.
“Eight years ago, the national kitty was empty, with all foreign and local investment of the country virtually diminished, and Pakistan was declared as a bankrupt state,” he said.
“We evaluated the entire situation and chalked out new strategy to pull the country out of the aforesaid odds. We reduced unduly expenditures of the government and started to increase revenue collection. We appointed competent administration in all national institutions and expressed resolve to transfer loss-incurring institutions into profit-making entities. Additionally, we worked out to eradicate the plague of corruption and also reduced defence budget to elevate development projects”, he contended.
He said that government’s friendly-investment policies attracted heavy foreign investment inside the country.
He said that government adopted policies to bridge gulf between the rich and the poor. “Now the trend of concentration of wealth within few hands has been ended”.
In response to a question, President said that economy of Pakistan has positively progressing and new industries are being set up in the country.
The World Bank in its reports has also confirmed that Pakistan is a developing country with the world’s sixth-largest population, and an economic growth rate that has been consistently positive.
There was a time when the import of Pakistan was far more than its export, President added. That is why, IMF and World Bank have lauded the social and economic polices of the Pakistan. President further said that he believes in equal distribution of resources and government is achieving its goals in this connection.
In the year 2002, United Bank Limited (UBL) had sold its fifty percent of shares with cost of Rs. 210 million. However, on its privatisation, it had sold its fifty percent share at rate of Rs. 750 million, President added.
In response to another question, President Musharraf said that government had taken several substantial steps for the uplift of the agriculture sector. Three major dams were constructed, canal system was made effective. He said government also allocated amount of Rs. 66 billion for the lining of watercourses and out of this amount Rs. 40 billion have so far been spent on this project.
He said that government has also announced a package in order to provide loans to the formers to promote the agriculture profession in Pakistan and the work in the fields of dairy and livestock is also underway.
“The construction of Kala Bagh Dam is inevitable for Pakistan and it would be constructed at all cost at the right time,” he said.
President further said that there are several countries in the map of world, which have very weak economy as compared to Pakistan, but they seem happier than Pakistan. The reason is simple as there is no terrorism and extremism. Therefore, it is also necessary to eliminate terrorism from this region.
Similarly, he said that per capita income has also increased. In 1999, a common labourer was drawing salary Rs. 1500 but now it has been elevated to Rs. 4500. “The purchasing power of masses has also increased. There are only 25 percent people who are living life below the poverty line. But the government has committed to the welfare of all such people,” he concluded.
Good, Sindh was right all along and Punjab was wrong from the beginning. This applies to 90% of situations.
Not True Bhai Sahib....................When you build a dam on any river all it does is to store water behind the dam and water thus stored is not lost for downstream use......unless you draw canals for irrigation.
This could have been made only for the Electricity Production....and No irrigation so Sind would still get all the water it gets today........the problem arises for Pakhtunkhwa(NWFP) where fertile lands come under water....that issue should have been addressed early on......seems no one did....hence all Pakistan will be deprived..........good example of proverbial "Tail wagging the Dog"....:)
Not True Bhai Sahib....................When you build a dam on any river all it does is to store water behind the dam and water thus stored is not lost for downstream use......unless you draw canals for irrigation.
This could have been made only for the Electricity Production....and No irrigation so Sind would still get all the water it gets today........the problem arises for Pakhtunkhwa(NWFP) where fertile lands come under water....that issue should have been addressed early on......seems no one did....hence all Pakistan will be deprived..........good example of proverbial "Tail wagging the Dog"....:)
Lost? What do you mean lost? Lack of water downstream has a detrimental affect on the health of the ecosystem down river. Flowing water is a necessary part of lower riparian communities.
Re: Kala Bagh Dam project discarded: Federal Minister for Water and Power
a sign of a weaker government, who shy away from taking good decision for Pakistan, leave development aside from political gains. anyway the current minister is hardly qualified to take decision on merit of the project but based only his halla gulla rules.
with water shortages increasingly likely in Pakistan, hydro-electric power is no longer 'free'.
invest in nuclear energy for the long run, try to get coal/gas plants in the short term.
Well said. Nuclear energy is the way to go. But our false pride will not let us sign the NPT. We'd rather nuke our people than giving them prosperity. Nukes cannot save us in the long run. It will be the overall health of our economy that will determine our fate.
One correction Ravage bro!
More dams will improve the water situation and not make it worse. Dams are just storage devices. It is like a house having 3 water tanks instead of 1.
Surely it will take more water to fill 3 tanks, but in the case of water shortage, 3 tanks will come in handy (3 times more than 1 tank - assuming all the tanks are of equal size).
KBD, Bhasha and other damns will add to the storage capacity. Having more dams up river from Terbela will also prolong life of Terbela.
It is a win win situation for everyone to have more water stored in the country. Yes there are environmental and ecological costs to such projects. But that is a fact with every option to acquire energy.
Unfortunately we the Pakistanis are acting as blind and deaf to free market reforms. And hence our socialist policies will burying us alive.
it is truly sad that our vital long term projects are being muddied due to the petty politics.
Re: Kala Bagh Dam project discarded: Federal Minister for Water and Power
True. I've always wondered why Pakistan doesn't utilize its Nuclear fission for the benefit of the public, afterall it is the peoples' property. Nuclear fission will allow the Pakistan economy to boost by resolving the issue of Electricity once and for all. This will allow industries to operate at-will, 24/7, thus increasing work flow and meeting higher demands.
Re: Kala Bagh Dam project discarded: Federal Minister for Water and Power
this should be in Guinness book of world records, a project started in 1953 reviewd in 1973 (by 1st ever PPP governmen)t and discarded in 2008 by another PPP government. nowhere in the world you would see such idiotic project management, and such moronic attitude towards blaming it’s failure. No remorse on wasting resources over a period of 55 years! Jeeye PAkistan.
China is a little baby boy when it comes to making nuclear toys. If you track the news in the nuclear industry, China has signed huge deals with American companies to buy nuclear plants.
China is paying close to $2 billion for each 1000 MW plant. Pakistan has to go to the West as well.
Funny that we appreciate China so much, but we don't want to willingly do what China does i.e. Serve the West and have "close" relations with the West.
