Demand: ‘Kalabagh dam should be included in budget 2018-19’
The LCCI president said 1 million acre feet of water gives benefit valued at $2 billion
LAHORE:
Kalabagh dam should not be ignored in the federal budget 2018-19 at any cost as water scarcity is heading towards the point of no return, said Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) President Malik Tahir Javaid in a statement issued on Wednesday.
“Those opposing the Kalabagh Dam are unaware of the ground realities,” added Javaid. “How can a mega water project be harmful for an agrarian country?”
The LCCI president said 1 million acre feet of water gives benefit valued at $2 billion annually to the economy, while Pakistan is throwing away 35 million acre feet of water by delaying construction of the dam. This means that we are wasting $70 billion a year, which is almost equal to the country’s external debt, Javaid added.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 20th, 2018.
Kalabagh dam should not be ignored in the federal budget 2018-19 at any cost as water scarcity is heading towards the point of no return, said Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) President Malik Tahir Javaid in a statement issued on Wednesday.
“Those opposing the Kalabagh Dam are unaware of the ground realities,” added Javaid. “How can a mega water project be harmful for an agrarian country?”
The LCCI president said 1 million acre feet of water gives benefit valued at $2 billion annually to the economy, while Pakistan is throwing away 35 million acre feet of water by delaying construction of the dam. This means that we are wasting $70 billion a year, which is almost equal to the country’s external debt, Javaid added.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 20th, 2018.