ISLAMABAD: While confirming that the Katzarah dam site, unanimously proposed by inter-provincial and parliamentary commissions, has the capacity to store 27 million acre feet of water, the Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) has reiterated its opposition to the project which can produce more than 15,000MW of electricity.In a letter to Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, Wapda said: “The option of Skardu/Katzarah dam project for further planning has been dropped from Wapda’s 2025 Vision programme.”

The prime minister had sought a report from the ministry of water and power after a Dawn report last month pointed out that Wapda was backtracking from the commitment it had made to the two commissions to complete the dam’s feasibility study by 2006.

Wapda decided to shelve the project on the basis of over a dozen negative impacts which it said made the multi-purpose dam site unfeasible in the present circumstances.

Wapda said the project site had been identified in 1960 but did not receive much attention because of access problem. At that time road to Skardu was single lane and could not be used by anything except jeeps and pack animals and used to remain closed for 6-7 months a year.

It said the pre-feasibility level studies for the project were carried out by Wapda during 2007 under its Vision 2025 confirming a potential to impound the average annual inflow of Indus at 27 MAF.

“However even an 8 MAF reservoir at this site will totally submerge the entire Skardu and Shigar valleys including the important town of Skardu.”

Wapda said a fertile and productive land under agriculture with fruit orchards of about 13,363.5 hectares falling in the reservoir area will come under water and any alternate land to be provided to land owners/farmers of the displaced population was not available. Also, the whole city of Skardu with its suburbs spread over about 25 square kilometres with a population of 130,000 and about 20,000 houses; 7,000 shops, hospitals, schools, graveyard, mosques, etc., will be submerged.

A total population of 223,847 falling in the reservoir area will be displaced. From defence point of view, the strategic control of the Siachen and Kargil sectors and of the Line of Control by Pakistan Army and PAF from Skardu will be lost because the operational activities of the two institutions will be badly affected while on the other hand, a huge infrastructure developed in Skardu and Gamba costing billions of rupees will also be submerged.

Moreover, 12,000 feet runway, along with all civil engineering infrastructure controlled by the Civil Aviation Authority will come under water while a cadet college recently established with Rs300 million to impart quality education to students of Northern Areas will be submerged.

Also, the Shangrila Motel considered as a beautiful cultural and recreational resort will be submerged besides 40 kilometres of metalled road from Skardu to Shigar on the left side of Shigar river. Access to the villages outside the reservoir periphery will be disconnected while a possibility to provide an alternate access does not exist.

A new road will be constructed above the reservoir level from dam to Khaplu & to Shigar valley. The water and power system consisting of several small hydropower stations and transmission lines will come under water.

Besides, the Skardu/Katzarah dam will also have a negative effect on the Satpara dam which is currently under construction,In Shigar area and Skardu, a number of archaeological sites consisting of buildings, mosques, graveyards, forts etc. which are more than a thousand years old, will come under water, which will be a serious cultural hazard. The Balti population which has a rich culture developed through centuries will lose its identity.

In a recent interview, former chairman of Indus River System Authority (IRSA) Eng Fatehullah Khan Gundapur had termed the proposed dam the only way to resolve the current water and power crisis in the country. A bipartisan parliamentary committee led by former Senator Nisar Memon and a technical committee led by A.N.G Abbasi – both having experts and parliamentarians from all provinces – had unanimously called for construction of the Katzarah dam as the top-most priority in 2005 to end political controversies over mega dams.