Diamir Bhasha, Mohmand Dams Inevitable To Avert Looming Water, Food Crises: Former Chairman Wapda

Former Chairman Wapda, Engr Shamsul Mulk Tuesday said construction of multi faceted Diamir Bhasa and Mohmand dams were inevitable to avert looming water and food crises in the country.

PESHAWAR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 12th Sep, 2018 ) :Former Chairman Wapda, Engr Shamsul Mulk Tuesday said construction of multi faceted Diamir Bhasa and Mohmand dams were inevitable to avert looming water and food crises in the country.

He urged people especially philanthropists, land owners, industrialists, traders, businessmen tycoon and expatriates Pakistanis to come forward and generously contribute in joint fund of Prime Minister Imran Khan and Supreme Court of Pakistan for construction of Diamir Bhasha and Mohmand dams and play a constructive role in making the country's self sufficient in energy, food and water resources.

While terming construction of big dams together with Diamir Bhasa and Mohmand dams are extremely vital to beat acute scarcity of energy, food and water state of affairs besides feeding rising population, bring a large barren land under-cultivation, increase agricultural & industrial output and helpful in saving fertile lands from turning into a deserts.

"Pakistan will face water and food drought like situation if big dams like Diamir Bhasha and Mohmand dams were not constructed by 2030," he feared.

Resultantly, mass exodus from drought hit areas will start migration from villages to urban areas for search of food and water by putting extra pressure on infrastructure, transport, health, education, environment, water and other resources.

He said no sector was perhaps most important currently for Pakistan than construction of new dams to have clean drinking water and food for millions of people besides promoting infant industries and feeding of agricultural sectors.

Mulk said construction of new dams would lead to massive uplift of Khyber Pakthunkhwa where a thousands of hectares of land was lying uncultivated due to water scarcity.

He said no development is possible with fast depleting energy resources and that agriculture, industrial sectors too direly required water reservoirs to keep their wheal running.

"Approximately 40,000 medium and large size dams had been constructed in the world in 20th century out of them USA built 7500, China 22000, India 4600 dams while Pakistan constructed limited number of dams," former Chairman Wapda said.

He regretted that not a single dam was constructed after Turbela in the country and resultantly we are currently facing acute water crisis.

"The current water crisis could not have been emerged, if Diamir Bhasa, Mohmand and Kalabagh dams had timely been constructed," he said, adding all those elements, who opposed construction of Kalabag dam, are in fact misguided about this mega project besides lack of knowledge about looming water crisis, the county is facing now." "If these dams were constructed, we would have 50,000 megawatt electricity at our disposal today, but to utter dismay, the country was generating around 6000 megawatt from hydel resources," he said.

"We have seen significant positive impact in agriculture sector in D.I Khan due to Cheshma lift canal's water in recent years compare to 50 years ago and if Kalabagh and other dams were constructed a green revolution would come in the southern districts of province," he said.

Shams ul Mulk said traditionally KP was relying on Punjab's wheat for meeting food requirements of its people and we can achieve autarky in food by irrigating thousands of acres barren land in southern districts of the province.

Asked of apprehensions of some quarters regarding drowning of Peshawar, Charsadda, Mardan and Nowshera after construction of Kalabagh dam, former Wapda Chairman said these are just myths and there is no truth in it.

He said Kalabagh dam was most feasible project and if was so harmful for KP, then the construction of thousands of dams should have destroyed the entire world including USA, China and India.

"Certainly,the huge devastation's brought by 2010 floods in Pakistan may simply be averted by establishing new dams and water reservoirs in all potential areas of the country," he maintained.

He said Pakistan's water potential totally tapped up till now, the present load-shedding and water crisis may have been averted.

He fully supported PM Imran Khan's fund raising call for Diamir Bhasha and Mohmand dams, saying it was a matter of great satisfaction to see an overwhelming response of people from within the country and overseas Pakistanis.

Mulk said if such national spirit continued, these meg projects would be completed at earliest for benefits of people.