Bhasha Dam and Foreign Involvement

[Neo]

Bhasha Dam and Foreign Involvement ​

Tuesday May 19, 2009

Dams are an instrument of development, yet every dam small or large carries inherent risks of failure. In the case of a larger dam it could be catastrophic for life and property down the valley. Large dams are therefore planned and designed with utmost care to preclude as far as possible any risk of a failure. Keeping in view the risk factor and the growing population of Pakistan in view (estimated at 170 million at the start of 2009), the proposal of Bhasha dam was regulated on 17 January 2006. Inhabitants of the area welcomed the government proposal being truly patriotic.

The project of Bhasha Dam is located on Indus River, about 315 km upstream of Tarbela Dam, 165 km downstream of the Northern Area capital Gilgit and 40 km downstream of Chilas. The proposed dam would have a maximum height of 270 m, and impound a reservoir of about 7,500,000 acre feet (9.25×109 m3), with live storage of more than 6,400,000 acre feet (7.89×109 m3). Mean annual discharge of Indus River at the site is 50,000,000 acre feet (6.2×1010 m3). Thus the dam will impound 15% of the annual river flow. The dam project would cover an area of 110 km2 and extend 100 km upstream of the dam site up to Raikot Bridge on Karakoram Highway (KKH). The planned 4,500 MW Diamer-Bhasha Dam on the Indus in Pakistan is, at US$12.6 billion, one of the largest and most costly planned dams in the world.

The present demand of electricity in country is above 17,000 MW, which is estimated to cross 22,000 MW by the year 2010. A large-scale injection of power thus becomes inevitable. The three most important water reservoirs of Pakistan namely, the Mangla, Tarbela and Chashma have already lost approximately 5000,000 acre feet of their storage capacity due to sedimentation. And it is estimated that in the coming few years this loss will be increased to 6000, 000 acre feet. Thus when the electricity demand is already not being fulfilled in the country due to one or the other reason and the existing water reserves are also not working on their full capacity, the construction of a new hydro electric power plan becomes unavoidable. Moreover according to the constitution of Pakistan, the province where the electricity is being generated will get the royalty of the project. In this way NWFP will get the royalties of the world’s most expensive dam project which will in the long run help in many development programs in the province and will also have the effect of bridging the differences between the provinces. By the completion of this project, the dependence of thermal power will be greatly reduced which will in turn save foreign exchange of the country. The population of Pakistan will greatly benefit from this project as it will provide the poor population of the province with employment oppertunities and will provide electricity on cheaper rates. Moreover Pakistan on the whole will progress as the industry will prosper when the supply of electricity will be smooth and continous.

However, some anti state elements and foreign forces are opposed to the progress of Pakistan. And to bring their dreams to reality, they are leaving no stone unturned to create discontent among the general public and provoke them to oppose the development work planned in Pakistan. By politicizing and scandalizing the legitimacy and transparency of the Bhasha dam, they are making every effort to make it controversial to achieve the many objectives such as make the international funding for the project problematic. Last but not the least the adversaries wish to draw political mileage by projecting Northern areas as part of Jammu and Kashmir and a disputed territory where Pakistan has no legitimate right to build a dam. Thus by highlighting the so called woes and resentment of local population, win the sympathies of the people of northern areas.

There is a very famous saying, ‘Why bomb military installations, bridges, ports, fuel depots incurring humongous monetary costs and retaliation, when ends can be achieved by merely turning off the tap?’ Water has always been a social weapon of control and exploitation. Jawaharlal Nehru called dams the “temples of modern India.” Today’s India sees these ‘temples’ as tools of war. Let’s not forget our identity and culture as a Pakistani and let’s not be a puppet in the hands of foreign antagonists. The looming water crisis, if unattended, will prove fatal for Pakistan. India, like a delinquent child, has taken up the opening and closing of faucet on Chenab. This has resulted in dozens of villages alongside Head Sulemanki and many more in Kasur, Bahawalnagar, Vehari and other areas being inundated with Indian floodwater when excess water is released. If today we fail to address our water requirements unanimously, the adversaries of Pakistan will benefit from the situation and we as a nation will be left between the devil and the deep sea.

Everything on the face of this earth has some positive and negative points but it depends on how we utilize the facility in our own interest. Same is the case with Bhasha dam. The project will be the mark of the prosperity, will complete the water requirements of Pakistan on one hand while on the other hand it will also serve the purpose of introducing development work in the province as new roads and communication networks will be designed to support the project. Thus in the long run, generally the Islamic republic of Pakistan and particularly the province of NWFP will advance.

 

[Neo]

12.6 billion Diamer-Bhasha Dam approved ​

Wednesday November 12, 2008

ISLAMABAD: The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) has approved the Diamer-Bhasha Dam, which will be completed in seven years at a cost of $12.6 billion.

The committee met here with Adviser to the Prime Minister on Finance Shaukat Tareen in the chair. Federal Minister of Water and Power Raja Pervez Ashraf said this while talking to journalists here on Tuesday.

The minister also said the government would soon announce relief in power tariff for low-income groups and middle-class consumers. He said that the Diamer-Bhasha Dam would have the capacity to store water of 8.1 million acre feet. “The country would generate 45,000 MW of electricity after the completion of the dam,” he claimed.

He said Pakistan would benefit $1.5 billion annually in the form of hydropower and $600 million in the form of water to improve the agriculture sector. Pervez Ashraf said the Ecnec had approved Rs 116.5 billion to acquire land for the dam. However, official sources, who attended the meeting, said it was decided that the process of acquiring land should not be initiated until the required amount was arranged. For the year 2008-09, the Ecnec approved Rs 60 billion for acquisition of land, which means that the remaining allocation of funds would be fixed for the next fiscal year 2009-08.

To a question about arranging funds for the huge project, he said that Chinese companies had shown interest to construct the dam during the recent visits of the president and the prime minister to China. He said the Chinese companies were in constant touch with the government, adding some Arab countries that wanted to form a consortium to materialise this national project were also in contact.

He said that the government would focus on hydropower projects besides paying maximum heed to exploiting alternate energy resources to cope with the power crisis. He said that the country currently had a capacity to generate 18,000 MWs. “However, by 2020, the country would need 116,000 MW of electricity, keeping in view the electricity demand which stands at 7-8 per cent per annum,” he said.

To cope with the energy crisis, a huge investment worth $30 billion is needed, out of which $10 billion would be spent by the public sector while $20 billion will be used by the private sector, he said.

He said the government had entered into agreements with rental powerhouses for three to five years. “After the said period, the government would be able to generate enough electricity to cater to the electricity needs of the country,” he said.

 

[Neo]

International bids invited for Bhasha dam project ​

ISLAMABAD (May 22 2009): International bids have been invited for the building of Bhasha dam project with incentive clause for early completion and three Chinese companies are among the bidders. This was stated in a meeting, held at presidency with President Asif Ali Zardari in the chair. The meeting was held as a follow up action on Pak-China collaborative projects.

Minister for Interior, Rehman Malik, Advisor Finance Shaukat Tarin, Advisor Petroleum Dr Asim, Special Assistant to PM on Water Kamal Majidullah, Secretary General Salman Faruqi, besides Secretaries and senior officials of relevant ministries attended the meeting which reviewed the Chinese-funded projects. The Chinese Ambassador in Islamabad was also present as a special invitee.

President spokesman Farhatullah Babar said that the feasibility study of the dam had already been offered to Chinese Companies. The President was informed that Wapda had also invited bids for project consultancy on international competitive bid (ICB) basis.

Special invitation had also been extended to the Georges Dam Corporation of China to participate in the construction of the dam and other projects. The President was also briefed about the ongoing collaborative projects with China undertaken recently following the President's visit to that country, the Spokesperson said.

About progress in other areas the meeting was informed that Chinese companies were invited to visit Pakistan to explore possibility of transfer of hybrid technology. A Chinese delegation visited Pakistan about two weeks ago brought with them hybrid rice seeds for sowing in selected areas in Pakistan on experimental basis.

Other Chinese companies are on way to Pakistan with sample of hybrid seed of cotton and wheat and drip irrigation technology to optimise use of irrigation water and save water resources. The state run Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences had been involved in imparting technical expertise and co-ordination with the Chinese companies, the meeting was informed.

An MoU has already been signed with the Agricultural Sciences Academy of China envisaging co-operation and joint research in hybrid technology, horticulture, water conservation and in rice cultivation in collaboration with the Rice Research Institute in Dokri. While hybrid seed had already arrived in Pakistan the machines for drip irrigation are on their way and being airlifted.

The meeting was also informed that an exceptionally good wheat crop is expected this year, which would necessitate the building of additional storage capacity on fast track basis to avoid damage to wheat stored in the open. The President asked to undertake immediately the project of building additional wheat storage capacity.

He said that the money spent today on building the storage capacity, will be more than recovered by avoiding loss due to damage to the wheat stored in the open. The President also advised to consider using the latest fast building machines for constructing shelters for the internally displaced persons in the Frontier province in addition to building storage capacity.