'Bhasha Dam is no substitute for KBD'

The Punjab Forum, an NGO dedicated to political and economic rights of Punjab, has stressed the need for construction of Kalabagh Dam on river Indus for hydel power generation and water storage on war footings and said the difficult Diamer-Bhasha Dam was no substitute for KBD.
Punjab Forum President Baig Raj said in a statement on Friday that existing dams were not enough to save the country from becoming a desert, while the Diamer-Bhasha Dam would take almost a decade to start power generation. Tarbela and Mangla Dams were likely to dry by 2030 and 2070; KBD was the best option to cater for the growing energy needs, he added.
"The KBD can start producing electricity in three to four years while it would have a lifetime of 450 years. It can boost industry and agriculture, cut oil import bill, save foreign exchange and help irrigate 20 million acres of wasteland, he said while listing benefits of the controversial dam," he said.
He said the country was losing reservoir capacity and vast tracts were becoming barren. He called for urgent decisions otherwise country would be left with only one sowing season. "Those who oppose KBD are felicitating Indian designs to make Pakistan a waterless country," he alleged. "We threw away 105 million acre feet of rain and floodwater into Arabian Sea in 2010 due to lack of water reservoirs, despite the internationally established fact that KBD is the best natural dam site for water storage and revival of Pakistan economy," Baig added.
Baig Raj said an economical/ technical issue had been made a serious political matter in Pakistan giving opportunity to rulers to pursue controversial rental and thermal power projects. Reliance of thermal power would continue to push cost of electricity upward which amounted to playing havoc with the masses, industry and agriculture while Punjab was made to share most of the burden, he said.
"Why can't government convince allies on construction of KBD if it can do so in case of NFC award," he inquired. Punjab is being denied of energy leaving millions unemployed. Tall claims of provincial harmony and equal distribution of resources is nothing but a deception as the country is fast heading towards food insecurity. He accused the federal government of stopping delivery of two power plants which were to be installed in Punjab. The amount of demurrage has left 2,000MW projects unviable.