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LHC directs federal govt to construct Kalabagh dam
29 November, 2012
LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday ordered the federal government to construct the Kalabagh dam in line with the recommendations of Council of Common Interest (CCI).
The order was issued by LHC Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial during Thursday's hearing of petitions calling for the construction of the dam.
The CJ LHC in his remarks said under article 154 the federal government is bound to implement the proposals.
Earlier, the petitioners had submitted that non-construction of the dam would render the country's agricultural land barren. They had stated that the project was in the interest of all provinces and objections were of a technical nature, which could be removed.
The petitioners had said the technical committee on water resources on April 11, 2005 had given green signal for the dam's construction. They had moreover submitted that the court should issue a clear-cut directive for the completion of the project.
They had further stated that in June 1985 and July 1989 the planning and development division had decided to construct the dam. The counsels' had also said that in 2004 the LHC had ordered for taking measures for the dam's construction.
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Reader Comments:
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Kalabagh dam: Why not..? |
Kalabagh dam: why not..?
Lahore High Court's recent ruling regarding Kalabagh dam and highlighting of the CCI's constitutional role in this regard is a commendable move to strengthen the Federation's socio-economic and ecological conditions.
The 1973 Constitution of Pakistan confers a pre-eminent position to the CCI to formulate and regulate policies for the Federation in relation to a number of subjects, including water and power. A decision of the CCI has obligatory effect unless the same is modified by parliament at the instance of the Federal government under Article 154(7) of the Constitution and in this case the CCI's members, representing all units of the Federation, have already approved the construction of this mega project first in 1991 and again in 1998.
So this is not a dead horse as claimed by some critics rather the only rapid horse left to ride and overcome the scarcity of water and power in the shortest possible time.
In fact the opposition of kalabagh dam is akin to destroy the economic prospects and prosperity of the Federation's 50 million Saraiki souls living in the KPK, Punjab, Sindh and Baluchistan.
One should ask the Saraiki people throughout Pakistan and particularly in the KPK not to vote for those, in the upcoming general election, who are opposing this dam and thereby blocking the creation of one prosperous and self-sustaining Saraiki region, an ultimate province.
Takht-e- Peshawar has always discriminated its Pashtun and Saraiki citizens living in the southern districts of Kohat, karak, Bannu, Lakki Marwat, Kulachi, Tank and Dera Ismail Khan and mostly these districts and their inhabitants are going to benefit from the Kalabagh dam.
Those who are opposing this grand and vital project must substantiate their political rhetoric with some valid scientific and technical data which can prove their fears and convince the national and international experts for the subsequent necessary changes in the design and model of this indispensible dam.
A mechanism for the aqua distribution has already been evolved in this project and the only thing to ensure is that the city of Nowshera is not drowned and the ecological balance of the Indus delta (Mangrove forests) is kept intact.
Our next door India has made an admirable progress in Dams and water reservoirs since its independence in 1947. Now India is one of the world's most prolific dam-builders. More than 4300 large dams have already been built and many more are in the pipelines.
These Indian dams are major attraction for the tourists from all over India and these dams with their ever flowing channels provide an ideal environment for the flora and fauna.
We are also hopeful that a serious discussion, not shallow political rhetoric, would be conducted and coordinated by the Federal government in the case of Kalabagh dam to reach an early agreement among the provinces or get prepared for transforming Pakistan into a desert with 300 million mouths to feed by the year 2050.
Ahmed bin Babar
multiways@hotmail.com
Ahmed bin Babar, - 06 December, 2012
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