President to unfold new dams plan, NFC together

HYDERABAD—President General Pervez Musharraf declared Friday that National Finance Commission (NFC) Award would be announced along with the decision on the construction of water reservoirs. “Today I declare that the NFC Award would be declared along with the decision on water (reservoirs),” the President announced. He was addressing a press conference at the Circuit House here on Friday after addressing the youths and others at the same venue.
Governor Sindh, Dr. Ishratul Ebad Khan, Chief Minister Dr. Arbab Ghulam Rahim, Federal Information Minister Shaikh Rashid Ahmed, Interior Minister Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao and Ghous Bux Mahar were also present. Commenting on the matter pertaining to the concurrent list, he hoped that the Parliament Committee that has been formed for the purpose would work speedily. The President said that a hurdle in the way of NFC was that consensus could not be developed on the issue. “Now I am pleased to announce that the Chief Ministers of all the four provinces have authorized me to declare the NFC as this would be acceptable to them. They have given this in writing as well”.
President said he is taking up the water issue holistically and he believes that two or three dams should be constructed by 2016 or 2020. He stated that the feasibility of Kalabagh and Basha dams is ready and hopefully the feasibility of Akhori Dam would also be ready. General Musharraf said that if two dams are to be taken up then these could be Basha and Kalabagh. He said that he had also visited the area in 2003 and had raised the Kalabagh issue but at that time the feasibility of Basha Dam was not ready and this was prepared in 2003.
The President said that at that time he had raised the issue so that the people could start talking about water and dams. He pointed out that now the situation is very serious and the analysis he has carried out suggests that after 2012 and 2013 things would start becoming critical, and especially after 2020 when our requirements of water would be 15 to 20 million acres feet (MAF). President Musharraf said, “the situation is more critical especially for Sindh and we must take a very serious cognizance”. He stated that the campaign that has been initiated is aimed at resolving the water issue after developing consensus. This issue should be discussed in the parliament and be taken up with the people so that this could be carried forward and decisions can be made, he added.
About the discharge of water downstream Kotri, the President informed that record of last 30 years shows that an average 35 MAF water goes into the sea, more than 20 MAF during the last 20 years and less than 10 MAF in five to six years and this period includes drought years of 2001-03. The President said that he has reached the conclusion that if the country constructs three dams even then three MAF of water would go into the sea. Our requirement downstream Kotri is 3.6 MAF every year. President General Pervez Musharraf Friday asked the youth of Sindh to help shape mass opinion in favour of large water reservoirs, cautioning that if two to three dams are not built by year 2016, severe water shortage would retard Pakistan’s progress and ruin the southern province’s agriculture, the mainstay of 70 per cent of its population. In an extensive interaction with a gathering of students and young professionals, the President rolled out his vision on meeting water requirements and stressed that being a “driving force” the young people have a critical role to play in determining the future course for the province.—APP