ISLAMABAD: The last time a new, major dam project was inaugurated in Pakistan was at Tarbela, almost five decades ago, under the Ayub Khan administration.
That dry spell broke on Tuesday when Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani became the first democratically-elected head of government to lay the foundation stone for the 4,500MW Diamer-Bhasha Dam.
“The [Diamer-Bhasha] dam will be the lifeline for the country’s economy,” Gilani told a public gathering in Chilas at the foundation stone-laying ceremony.
“It’s an historic day and I salute you for sacrificing your ancestral lands and homes to secure the future of Pakistan,” Gilani said, addressing the approximately 22,000 people in 30 villages that are likely to be displaced due to the dam.
With a storage capacity of about 8 million acre feet (MAF) and projected electricity generation of 4,500MWs, Diamer-Bhasha will top both Tarbela and Mangla dams, whose storage capacities have fallen drastically due to silting over the years.
The project will take eight years to complete and will cost over $12 billion.
In addition to the Rs11.5 billion already allocated for the project, Gilani announced an additional Rs1 billion for repair and expansion of Karakoram Highway and other roads in the region.
Asking the authorities concerned to ensure that locals are employed in the construction of the dam, Gilani announced Rs200 million for the development of Diamer district, besides announcing a cadet college for the region and upgradation of district headquarters hospitals of Chilas, Gilgit and Skardu.
He said that an engineering faculty would be set up at the Karakoram International University which would later be upgraded to an engineering university.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 19th, 2011.
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it is undoubtedly a good step by the democratic government to strengthen and secure its economy and public opinion.we must appreciate the step which the government has taken..
let me introduce myself.....em working on Diamer Basha Dam project and I was there on the inauguration ceremony....only 1298 kanal land of K.P.K is purchased for dam and G.B is giving 35000 Acres of land for this project.....not a single person of K.P.K is loosing his house b8 30000 people of Diamer are loosing their houses, lands, shops, hotels and almost everything....so the right of royalty should be defined on these grounds...
its a good start...............lets hope 4 da bst n all da bst 4 all GB people,,,,,
The Project was already initiated, approved and work started by Pervize Musharraf. The Previous Projects are bring in the new frame work of his Government. Old Wine in New Bottle.
So we have the usual PPP hype and promises, but what about an actual start date? I've read nothing about when the work will actually start on this project. Why haven't we been given a firm date?
Or is it more lies to fool the already gullible masses, and reduce the heat already on this incompetent regime?
@Aafiyat Nazar: let them build it please .. i read the dam lies in KPK and KPK is in Pakistan .
i read a moment earlier that this dam was started earlier by Musharraf too .. and its feasibility was prepared in his time (2006) and even back in 1981 this dam was in the spotlight and study was done for its construction.... but due to some political issues and interference by anti Pak elements it has always been interrupted .... this time i request all my Pakistanis that please let them build it yr... kio k bohat bura hal hay bijli k bgair ... na din ko chain na rat ko sukun ;p
Possibly the foundation stone is a portable one, all they do is change the name and the date untill its photograpy and headline time one again. The people are not amused.
@Ali Tanoli: it frustrates me to read these comments from ppl like u.. Firstly there was nothing like 500 per household.. Even in china its very expensive.. I live in hk and i know so dont negate.. Secondly chinese cant be given control of everything unless u want a new east india company.. There are some rules.. Chinese are not as good as u may think..everyone guards his interests.. So better to get rid of these crooks and u pay ur electricity bill instead of using ur kunda!
What is the hurry Mr. PM................. Still many many months are there.
it is a very good decision because we have not built any major dame like tarbela from our independence and it is the reason that we are facing such energy crisis so i congradulate to all pakistani.
On a Pakistani schedule, this dam will be completed in the year 2051.
will be completed in next 25 years... whats the point..
@Realist.: Well done and bravo! We had a dictatorship that couldn't add 1 kw of energy to the grid in 9 years. Great to see that an elected government can do this in under 4 years!
And it will take what...10 years to build the dam?
@RP:
the musharraf government did the feasibility for it and did all the legwork. i have no idea what this government is doing. the foundational stone was laid by president musharraf. its possible that this is simply an photo-op to deflect attention from startling energy deficits.
Such big projects require a lot of preparations before the actual construction can start. It is a good news. Let us not spoil things by creating unnecessary controversies. Everybody must put in his best effort to solve national issues of energy and water conservation irrespective of whether one is in power at the federal or provincial level.
I am not an expert but have a feeling that Kalabagh Dam was made controversial because Zia wanted to divert people's attention from elections. Now, nobody should be allowed to convert any good step into another controversy.
I would like to take this opportunity to appeal to all provincial governments to take concrete steps and initiate energy & water conservation projects.
Good business opportunity for heavy construction companies like Caterpillar! I hope there will be no or less corruption in awarding tenders!
Kalabagh should be next
At least a good start...
The diamer Basha dam's construction and damage should be given to the people proportion to their damages of provinces. there should not be the past practice to capture the resources of younger brother by the big brother. NFC awards should be distributed as per damage/share of Provinces.
@Ali Tanoli:
Lol, China made no such offer, in fact China it self is suffering from a massive energy shortage.
Kudos to the government, dair aaye durust aye!
@ farid syed, They allways does this to us we are Terbela dam peoples and what they give us that time in 70 when they build it that dam and also look it mangla dam peoples they got every thing after all punjab is ruler of pakistan but dont worry now peoples in KP also getting smart this time if they come to us we will see...
PM should set the operational date of dam!
@Dare to speak:
The Government should compensate the Dam effected of GB people in regard of their future needs the distribution of money is the big way of corruption in GB now the people have been well aware after an incident of 8/11 in Hunza when the police opend fired on the IDP,s when they were protesting for receiving their given package of 6000, Rup,
@Assad:::::::::Why K-P ????????? the dam is being built in GB. The lands of GB are being submerged, even the inauguration ceremony took place on the lands of GB. The PM speaks about GB in his inauguration speech..... This dam must be called DIAMER DAM and royalty be given to GB.
Construction of the dam in the area, whose inhabitants have not yet been constitutionally recognized and whose inhabitants are treated as pseudo Pakistani is unconstitutional.
AFTER 4 Years of Government!! & now they will call it an ACHIEVEMENT for the rest of their lives!
De ja vu http://archives.dawn.com/2006/04/27/top1.htm
Both laying the foundation stone no progress will be made
After how many years this dam will be operational?
Finally .. a good step! now let's work on other productive projects for Pakistan ...
Why in G-B? It is in K-P and he should be there it inaugurate it. Lets not punish K-P becoz she offended some of us on Kalabagh. Basha dam is all in K-P, only the water clogging effects will spread to G-B for which they are already being compensated.
Mashaallah. Shukar hai at least, it has got a start. Hope there will be no corruption and no blame and courts game.