KARACHI, Feb 21: The government, dam builders and financiers of water reservoir projects need to take all “positive and negative” aspects of proposed plans into account before embarking on the construction of Kalabagh dam in Pakistan, otherwise, they will face “a growing public backlash from unacceptable economic, human and environmental costs of badly planned dams,” World Bank said.

“They (government, dam builders and financiers) must in particular assess needs and options more comprehensively, with particular attention to options for managing demands for water and power to minimize need for new dams.”

This was stated by World Bank’s Country Programme Coordinator for Pakistan South Asia Region, based in Washington Robert Floyd, while replying on behalf of World Bank’s President Paul Wolfowitz to Mr Fatehyab Ali Khan, who had sent him a note “Earthquake in the offing at Kalabagh,” containing a lot of information.

Floyd called for considering dams construction only after strategic environmental assessment to ensure that whole river basins are sustainably managed, ensure that, wherever feasible, existing dams are retrofitted to increase power generation and other economic benefits, while reducing social and environmental impacts, especially for lower riparians.

“‘The development of new dams, in accordance with concerns outlined here is best way to ensure that dams really deliver their intended benefits and avoid unacceptable impacts. If vital decisions are taken without consensus and imposed on the country, the consequences will be devastating, “World Bank official warned.

Not even an expert can give a credible opinion on construction of a dam simply through an aerial view of proposed location. But Pakistan Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, after doing just that has maintained that the area chosen by the government for Kalabagh dam is “naturally fit for the project, as four rivers converge there and resulting narrow water lane is ideal for construction of a dam.

“Needless to add, geo-hydrology is first thing to be taken note of before even starting such a project, let alone a scientifically authentic study taking all geographic characteristics of the area into account,” Floyd said in his reply to Fatehyab Ali Khan.

He said according to a world renowned Pakistani earth scientist, Ali Hamza Kazmi, Kalabagh dam is located in “a highly seismic zone. Kalabagh fault is an active fault, which is constantly producing earthquakes. Several earthquake epicentres have been located on this fault.” Kalabagh dam reservoir covers a vast area.—PPI