The fact of the matter is that even without the dam, parts of Sindh are fast turning into a desert.
RAWALPINDI: The Kalabagh Dam is once again in the public spotlight. And it is most unfortunate how a subject as important as the building of a dam, to increase our water storage capacity and produce more energy, has been made such a controversial matter. Instead of considering the technical details of the project, opponents of the dam whip up public sentiments against it because of personal interests. These leaders keep saying to people that Sindh will turn into a desert or that the city of Nowshera will be submerged if the dam is built.
The fact of the matter is that even without the dam, parts of Sindh are fast turning into a desert. And even as that happens, other parts of it are being hit by massive floods, something that could be kept under check if Kalabagh Dam was built. Whose agenda are our leaders following by opposing the construction of the Kalabagh Dam and, simultaneously, keeping quiet about what India is doing to our waters?
Major (retd) Syed Zahid Salam
Published in The Express Tribune, December 13th, 2012.
