KALA BAGH DAM Benefit Nation is enjoined the benefit of Terbela Dam and Mangla dam Disadvantage Energy

crises o!rce of energy Dams Kala Bagh Dam and its benefits "tili#ation A $olitical iss!e

Construction of Kalabagh dam (KBD) has evoked intense hostility. The government is interpreting KBD as an engineering marvel for its ability to control floods, provide electricity, and irrigate farmland, thereby improving the lives of millions of people dam may be built to serve several purposes, for e!ample flood control, irrigation, and hydropo"er production, drinking "ater supplies The most serious problems associated "ith the building of KBD has arisen because of lack of public participation in decision#making processes, together "ith ine$uitable distribution of the benefits and a lack of compensation for negative conse$uences. This also demonstrates the absence of any coherent "ater management strategies at all levels and a result of shortsighted planning and political inertia. The government should agree that people "ho "ill be directly affected by KBD pro%ect should be dra"n into the decision#making process, and particularly emphasi&e the importance of avoiding land#use changes that are so detrimental to the culture of indigenous people and the natural resource base on "hich they depend, that their "ay of life is threatened T'( Kalabagh dam has been on the dra"ing board for a long time but no government could see it through. ) am not competent to comment on the advantages and disadvantages of this pro%ect but my ob%ection is simply to the manner in "hich it is being presented for approval, presumably in the court of public opinion. *e have on the one side +en ,usharraf trying to e!plain the advantages of the pro%ect and even issuing ultimatums that failure to build the dam "ill be suicidal and that -indh "ill suffer enormously. There is a need for legislation that makes it possible for the government to take decisions that are important to achieve national goals and safeguard considerations of national importance. KBD today has emerged as a national issue. )t should be evaluated thoroughly before a decision is made, and to ensure that all those affected receive an e$uitable share of the benefits from the pro%ect.