Posts Tagged ‘Kalabagh’

Benefits of KBD

If Kalabagh dam had been built there would have been no loadshedding, no industry would have shutdown and there would have been no flight of industry. New industry would have been set up through local and foreign investment, and industrial production would have increased. Exports would have soared. Revenues would have been generated. Enough gas would have been available for industry, for CNG …

..
..

.. .. .. .. ..

Ayla Malik joins PTI

..
..

ISLAMABAD – Former parliamentarian and niece of former president Sardar Farooq Ahmed Khan Leghari, Ayla Malik, on Thursday called on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan and after a detailed meeting joined the party.
Ayla Malik is the sister of MNA Sumaira Malik and both are also granddaughters of Nawab of Kalabagh. She had joined Farooq Leghari-led Millat Party in year 1999 and …

.. .. .. .. ..

Gilani claims govt added 3000 MW electricity

..
..

Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani has claimed that his government added 3000 mega watt electricity in the national grid since it assumed charge. Speaking in a ceremony held in London the prime minister said all the political parties played politics in the name of Kalabagh Dam.” Even dictators, including…

Visit: http://n

.. .. .. .. ..

Water in Tarbela touches dead level

This aerial view shows water leaving the Tarbela Dam spillway in Tarbela on August 24, 2010. AFP Photo

ISLAMABAD: The water level in Tarbela Dam touched the dead level of 1378 feet on Saturday.

According to data released by the Indus River System Authority (Irsa), the maximum water level in River Indus at Tarbela was 1378 feet, while inflow and outflow in the dam was recorded same as 26900 cusecs.

The water level at River Jhelum at Mangla was 1092.90 feet, which is 52.90 feet above its dead level of 1040 feet, whereas the inflow and outflow of water in the dam was recorded as 50,956 and 42,000 cusecs respectively.

Irsa released 120,507 cusecs water from various rim stations while the inflow remained as 129463 cusecs.

The release of water at Kalabagh, Taunsa and Sukkur was recorded as 29,403, 28,015, and 41,300 cusecs respectively.

Similarly, from River Kabul a total of 28,600 cusecs of water was released at Nowshera and 23,007 cusecs released from River Chenab at Marala.

Due to low inflow of water in dams, hydel generation has been reduced considerably, deepening the power crisis. The Pakistan Electric Supply Company (Pepco) has been forced to observe up to eight hours of load-shedding in the country.

Pepco’s daily report showed a shortfall of 3,935 MW on Saturday. The reports puts the country’s total power generation at 11,020 MW against a demand of 14,955 MW during the last 24 hours.

The hydel generation stood at 2,711 MW, Wapda thermal 1,571 MW, IPPs 6,538 MW and Rental 200 MW. Some 630 MW of electricity was supplied to the Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC), the report further said.

,,
,,

,, ,, ,, ,, ,,

Via DAWN.com

KBD a closed chapter, says Hoti

..
..

PESHAWAR (APP) – Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Haider Khan Hoti termed Kalabagh Dam “a closed chapter” and stressed the need for prompt work on Basha Dam and other projects to meet energy crisis in the country.
“The issue (of Kalabagh Dam) is dead as the implementation of such projects is not…

Visit: http://n

.. .. .. .. ..

Qureshi for early resolution of Pak-India water issue

,,

Farmers Association Pakistan (FAP) Chairman and former Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi. – File Photo

LAHORE: Farmers Association Pakistan (FAP) Chairman and former Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said on Saturday that Pakistan and India should seriously solve the most sensitive issue of water through dialogues.

Speaking to the media after a foundation day ceremony of FAP, he said ,that water was the basic necessity, for agriculture, adding that shortage of water could cause problems not only to the two neighbours but also among provinces.

Qureshi said that land of Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was very fertile but thousands of hectares of land could not be irrigated due to shortage of water.

,The former minister, stressed construction of new dams and said that hundreds of small dams could be built in the country which would help boost agriculture.

He said the Kalabagh Dam should not be ruled out and it should be constructed after a consensus of all political parties.

To a question, Qureshi said that the Indus Water Treaty should be implemented in letter and spirit.

He said that agriculture tax should be enforced, however, the mechanism of tax collection could be discussed.

He said that small farmers should be exempted but landowners or big farmers should contribute to the revenue of the country, adding that as a member parliament he could persuade farmers on it.

Answering a question about his ministership, he said that leaders decided about it and he ,accepted the decision,, adding that leaders of the party knew who should do what.

Hussain Jahania Gardezi, voice chairman FAP, Malik Afaq Tiwana, chief executive FAP, Dr M Tariq Bucha, director central council FAP, and farmers from all over the country participated in the ceremony. – APP

,,
,,

,, ,, ,, ,, ,,

Via DAWN.com

Rice cropping pattern for better returns

AS things stand today, rice, along with sugarcane, is becoming an increasingly ‘unaffordable crop’ because of growing water shortage. It is especially true for ‘coarse and other’ varieties of rice that now cover over 70 per cent of the sown area.

Currently, Pakistan is sowing three categories of rice: basmati, coarse and others – huge array of hybrids and some smuggled varieties of unknown origin. Of all these three categories, only super basmati can bring better price in international market and can, to some extent, justify consumption of huge water resources.

The other two categories have become a very costly drag on water resources. Both of them neither have substantial domestic market nor attractive prices in the world market.

The international price differential between them and basmati is around 300 per cent – $300 per ton for coarse crop against $1,200 per ton for super basmati. But the three categories take the same amount of water – around 3,000 litters per kilogramme – to mature.

Can Pakistan continue wasting its precious water resources to get dirt cheap price in the world market? Of course not! Water is emerging as the most crucial factor in agricultural settings. Almost all new technologies now revolve around water, not crop as traditional concept was. So, it may be time to shift its agricultural and cropping priorities to match its water realities.

Other countries have already started making such a shift. India has already legislated to shift its rice crop to the monsoon season instead of ground or canal water. In 2009, it promulgated “Sub-Soil Water Preservation Act” and restricted its farmers from planting nursery before May 10 and sowing before June 10 – thus reducing irrigational requirements of canal water and maximising use of monsoon rains.

In Pakistan, it is total reverse. Farmers here start planting nursery as soon as in April and sowing crop in May. Thus, by the time monsoon hits the country, the crop has already received three to four irrigations – all coming from canal water. That is exactly the point where Pakistan needs to make the shift. It must shift sowing deadline to later part of June or first week of July, and then ensure both deadlines.

India, experts say, is already reaping the benefit of the Act. During the last two years, sub-soil water level in the rice belt of Indian Punjab has increased by seven centimetres.

Pakistan needs to make the shift more urgently than India because huge water consumption of its rice crop are simply mind boggling. The country matures its rice crop with around 17 million acre feet (MAF) of water – more than three proposed Kalabagh Dams (5maf) and more than two Diamir-Bhasha dams (8maf), the biggest possible dam in the country. The cost of crop becomes even horrendous when taken in financial terms.

According to agricultural economists, one million acre feet (MAF) water, if used judicially, should benefit an economy by $2 billion annually. Thus, the rice crop, in its present settings, takes some $34 billion worth of water to mature and earns roughly $2 billion in foreign exchange. Does that make sense to anyone? Certainly not!

The latest export figure further exposes the folly the country is sticking to at a greater financial peril. According to them, it exported two million tons of rice during first seven months – up to January 31 – and earned $1.141 billion. During these months, basmati export went up by 17 per cent but earnings increased by only 12 per cent because of price factor. Even its premier variety is suffering from price decline. Why should it be sticking to those varieties that do not make economic sense at all?

It is not to suggest that Pakistan should abandon rice crop altogether, but to advocate re-positioning of the crop, especially of coarse and other varieties. These two categories consume around 12maf of water (read $20 billion) and earn a few hundred million dollars. It hardly makes sense especially when the world is shifting to niche markets, and adjusting domestic agriculture patterns accordingly. Why should Pakistan be an exception?

Water realities are changing fast. The country had the worst kinds of floods in July and August last year and is currently suffering 12 per cent shortages, barely six months after. The cropping pattern now needs to be shifted to suit water realities.

Rice, being a water guzzling crop, must be the prime candidate for realignment. Sugarcane can be the next. Rice crop, which is not a staple – its per capita consumption is only 15kg against 124kg of wheat – must quickly be repositioned.

By shifting the nursery planting and sowing dates, and then observing them strictly, Pakistan can get rid of many so-called hybrid varieties because they would not fit the timeframe. Interestingly, the current date of nursery sowing is May 10, but hardly anyone in the country observes it. It is especially true in potato growing areas.

Pakistan needs to take this deadline to the end of May and actual sowing towards the end of June so that it can save precious water resources and utilise them for other better priced crops.

,,
,,

,, ,, ,, ,, ,,

Via DAWN.com

SC moved for KBD consensus

..
..

LAHORE – A constitutional petition has been moved before the Supreme Court’s Lahore Registry, praying for a direction to the Council of Common Interests for building consensus among all the federating units on the construction of Kalabagh Dam in the interest of protecting agriculture and economy from colossal loss.
The…

Visit: http://n

.. .. .. .. ..

Wattoo hints at dissolution of AJK LA

..
..

ISLAMABAD – Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Mian Manzoor Ahmad Wattoo said that Kalabagh Dam fell prey to the country’s politics and it could be constructed if all the stakeholders and political parties were on board.
He was sharing views on political issues pertaining to Pakistan, Azad Jammu…

Visit: http://n

.. .. .. .. ..

PM hails Nawa-i-Waqt referendum on KBD

..
..

LAHORE – Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has lauded the initiative taken by Nawa-i-Waqt to mobilise public opinion in support of Kalabagh Dam construction.
A letter sent by the Prime Minister’s Secretariat to Editor-in-Chief Majid Nizami said: “Needless to say that the Nawa-i-Waqt and yourself have always been in…

Visit: http://n

.. .. .. .. ..

Taseer readies 100-point report on KBD benefits

..
..

LAHORE – Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer with the assistance of renowned water experts has prepared a 100-point report, which highlights benefits of Kalabagh Dam (KBD) construction.
Talking to Nawa-i-Waqt Sunday, Salmaan said the project had been made a political issue.
“If the benefits of KBD reach the people of…

Visit: http://n

.. .. .. .. ..

Basha dam to be inaugurated next month: NA told

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Water and Power Raja Pervaiz Ashraf on Friday informed the lower house of Parliament that the construction work on Diamer Basha dam would be inaugurated by the Prime Minister next month adding that land acquisition process has been initiated.

 
In response to various questions raised by parliamentarians in question hour, he said the government was vigorously pursuing the harnessing of water resources to improve the water availability in the country.

He said the designs and tender documents of Diamer Basha dam have been completed and Asian Development Bank (ADB) has promised to finance the project.

The minister said that a comprehensive plan to construct a number of small dams in the country had also been launched to provide irrigation facilities to areas outside the command if Indus system.

He said Rs.1.249 billion had been incurred on the planning and investigation of Kalabagh dam so far, adding that instead of initiating work on controversial projects and wasting huge money the government is working on non controversial projects.

In response to another question, the minister said the power shortfall in July, August and September 2010 was recorded as 3257 MW, 3409 MW and 3297 MW respectively.

Ashraf said the main cause of loadshedding is devastation caused by floods adding that in many areas the flood water washed away the grid stations, transmission lines and transformers. However, he said efforts are underway to improve the situation.

He further said that there is huge gap between installed capacity and power generation.

He said Pakistan raised objections on the design features and spillway structure of Kishenganga hydroelectric plant.

But India did not cooperate in resolving the issue bilaterally, therefore the government has instituted the proceedings for resolving the dispute by court of arbitration as provided under the Indus Water Treaty, he added.

To another question he said the project to distribute two energy savers to every household in exchange of incandescent bulbs is under submission for approval of the government.

He said a consultant has been hired to formulate the proposal and mechanism for launching of the project, adding that the cost of the project is $ 85 million.

To another question he said that 6,300 villages were electrified under village electrification project initiated in 1993-94 with the assistance of Japan.

,,
,,

,, ,, ,, ,, ,,

Via DAWN.com

Petition asks SC to resolve Kalabagh dam issue

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court was requested on Friday to intervene and help find a solution to a controversy over the Kalabagh dam by invoking Article 184(1) of the Constitution which provides it exclusive jurisdiction to settle disputes among provincial governments.

The petition, filed by senior Supreme Court lawyer Barrister Ali Zafar on behalf of journalist Zia Shahid and former food and agriculture minister of Punjab Sultan Ali Chaudhry, sought a court declaration that it was an inalienable right of citizens of Pakistan and a binding duty of the state that the controversy over Kalabagh dam be decided one way or the other in accordance with the Constitution.

The four provinces and the authorities concerned, including Wapda, have been made respondent in the petition.

Citing experts’ reports, Barrister Zafar said the country’s water level would drop to 1,000 M3 per capita in 2025 which was considered to be ‘extreme water scarcity’, while Tarbela and Mangla reservoirs were rapidly losing their storage capacities because of sedimentation. “This is pushing Pakistan towards a national disaster, making the construction of Kalabagh dam imperative.”

He also cited statements of past and present prime ministers, chief ministers and governors and contradictory resolutions passed by provincial assemblies, including that of the Punjab Assembly on Oct 5, to plead that Kalabagh dam was a dispute among the provincial governments and the Supreme Court had an exclusive jurisdiction to settle such disputes under Article 184 (1) of the Constitution.

Barrister Zafar argued that utilisation of water by building dams for the welfare of citizens was a fundamental right guaranteed by the Constitution and by not building the dam the federal government was violating such rights of millions of Pakistanis.

As a result of the Indus Water Treaty 1960, the petition said, Pakistan had lost water of Ravi, Beas and Sutlej and because of constant infighting had been unable to fully utilise water of the remaining three rivers — Indus, Jhelum and Chenab. On the other hand, it said, India had built 4,291 dams and planned to build another 695 even on Pakistani rivers of Chenab and Jhelum.

“Pakistan has only been able to build Tarbela and Mangla dams while Kalabagh remains shelved as a pipedream because of internal differences,” it said. As a result, Pakistan wasted 38 MAF (million acres feet) of river water every year into the sea.

“If we want to safeguard our future generation from living in a dry, famine-stricken and barren Pakistan and counter the sales pitch of India, we have to build (Kalabagh) dam and, that too, immediately,” the petition said.

,,
,,

,, ,, ,, ,, ,,

Via DAWN.com

Gilani asks NA to leave Musharraf ‘to himself’

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly saw a sharp division over the fate of former military ruler Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf on Wednesday, with Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani advising legislators to leave the former president “to himself” while opposition leader Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan called for his trial for abrogating the Constitution twice and working against national interests.

The sitting saw a third consecutive walkout by opposition members in as many days — this time over stoppage of funds for development of the areas affected by the 2005 earthquake.

The house passed two government bills and began a debate on an adjournment motion relating to incursion of Nato forces into Pakistan, resulting in losses of lives.

After Chaudhry Nisar made a scathing criticism of Pervez Musharraf for his reported admission that Pakistan army had trained militants to fight in Indian-held Kashmir, the prime minister said: “I have told him (the opposition leader) privately, and say it again, that it will be better to leave him (Gen Musharraf) to himself.”

But a backbencher of the prime minister’s own party, Jamshed Dasti, who apparently disagreed with Mr Gilani’s views, announced that he would register a treason case against Gen Musharraf at a police station in his hometown of Muzaffargarh on Thursday, if the Punjab chief minis- ter directed the police department to entertain his complaint.

BILLS PASSED

The assembly passed two bills — the Sacked Employees (Reinstatement) Bill 2010 seeking to provide relief to employees of various government departments and corporations who had been dismissed from service during the second term of the Nawaz Sharif government (1996-1999) and the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (Amendment) Bill 2007 seeking an amendment to the ordinance issued in 1965 to establish the commission. The bill has been passed with a purpose to place the commission under the National Command Authority.

MUSHARRAF’S TRIAL

The opposition leader said that if Gen Musharraf was allowed to go scot-free, he would continue to damage the country’s national interests.

Without naming Mr Musharraf, he said the time had come for the government to bring the former military dictator back home with the help of Interpol and make him accountable for suspending the Constitution, detaining judges of the superior courts and killing Baloch leader Nawab Akbar Bugti, former prime minister Benazir Bhutto and a number of people during the Lal Masjid operation.

Apparently in reaction to Gen Musharraf’s personal attack on his party chief Nawaz Sharif, Chaudhry Nisar described the former president as “a characterless man” and “a person who has lost his senses”.

The PML-Q’s Amir Muqam, a member of the Musharraf cabinet, said if the former president was a ‘criminal’, those who had allowed him to leave the country should also be treated as criminals.

WALKOUT

Both Chaudhry Nisar and Amir Muqam accused the government of forgetting the quake-affected people who were still living in the open. They said that stoppage of funds to the Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority had halted all development activities in the affected areas, particularly Hazara division.

The opposition staged a token walkout from the house.

In his reply, the prime minister said his government had, in fact, increased the allocation for Erra from Rs11 billion to Rs22 billion. He said that an amount of Rs5 billion would be released to Erra this week.

KALABAGH DAM

The PPP’s Gul Mohammad Jakhrani criticised the Punjab Assembly for passing a resolution in favour of the construction of Kalabagh dam. “You cannot infuse life into a dead horse,” Mr Jakhrani said, adding that there was no need for a fresh consensus because three provinces had already passed unanimous resolutions against the construction of the dam.

Mr Jakhrani, however, faced criticism from his party’s colleagues belonging to Punjab, including two ministers, who spoke in favour of the dam.

The Minister of State for Education, Ghulam Farid Kathia, and the Minister of State for Interior, Tasneem Qureshi, said that every provincial assembly had a right to express its feelings and opinion through resolutions. They were of the opinion that the construction of Kalabagh dam had become necessary after the flood devastation.

NATO INCURSION

The opposition, as well as treasury members, urged the government to lodge a protest with the US over the violation of the country’s airspace by the International Security Assistance Force (Isaf).

The PML-N’s Khawaja Saad Rafique asked the government to tell the house from where these drone attacks were being carried out and if there was an agreement with Nato allowing it to carry out attacks on Pakistani soil.

He asked the prime minister to reply these questions in his concluding speech, saying if he failed to give replies then the opposition would be justified to demand mid-term elections after the removal of the government.

,,
,,

,, ,, ,, ,, ,,

Via DAWN.com

No plan to impose flood tax in KP, says Hoti

PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Ameer Haider Khan Hoti on Wednesday ruled out imposition of flood tax in the province and said that undisputed dams should be constructed on priority basis instead of Kalabagh Dam, which was a dead issue.

Talking to journalists after distributing plot allotment letters among members of the Peshawar Press Club, the chief minister said that situation of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was totally different from the three provinces as it had been badly affected both by record-breaking floods and militancy.

He added that the government could not put extra burden on poor masses by imposing flood tax.

People from various walks of life including businessmen and traders community were badly affected by terrorism, he said, adding that he can’t not consider appropriate to put extra burden on poor people by imposing flood tax.

To provide relief to flood and militancy affected people, he said, work on new developmental projects had been suspended by the government with an objective to help overcome problems of masses.

The devastation of floods in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was more than other provinces, he said and added that funds should be given to provinces on the basis of damages.

When asked about the Punjab Assembly’s resolution on Kalabagh Dam, the chief minister said, “It is a dead issue and a closed chapter. Let it remain a close chapter.”

He said that he respected the mandate of Punjab Assembly but disagreed with the resolution.

Kalabagh Dam may be fruitful for Punjab but not for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as we have witnessed a massive devastation due to recent floods in Nowshera, Charsadda and other downstream districts. He said that Kalabagh Dam was a disputed project and it would not be tolerated.

The chief minister said that undisputed dams should be constructed for storage of water and generation of electricity to cater to the needs of agriculture, power and economy.

Referring to Watan Cards, Mr Hoti said that the distribution process had already been started from Nowshera and priority was being given to those victims whose houses had been destroyed or damage by floods.

The distribution process of Watan Cards would be completed within 75 days and delay would not be tolerated, he added.—APP

,,
,,

,, ,, ,, ,, ,,

Via DAWN.com

Pakistan would become Somalia, if KBD not made: Taseer

..
..

Governor Punjab Salman Taseer warned on Wednesday that if the Kalabagh Dam is not made, the country would turn into Somalia within a decade. Defying PPP policy, Taseer urged all the political parties to get united and hammer out a strategy to build Kalabagh Dam for the country. The Governor…

Visit: http://n

.. .. .. .. ..

KBD only after consensus: Raja

..

..

ISLAMABAD – Minister for Water and Power Raja Pervez Ashraf on Thursday said work on Kalabagh Dam could only be launched after developing consensus among all the stakeholders.
Kalabagh Dam is controversial and no project could be started till consensus, Raja Pervez Ashraf said during National Assembly (NA) question-hour.


Visit: http://n

.. .. .. .. ..