Islamabad, March 28, 2018 (PPI-OT): Islamabad Chamber of Small Traders on Wednesday said India has constructed hundreds of dams to steal Pakistan’s share of water while we are not agreeing on the construction of a single dam since decades. Further delay in construction of Kalabagh Dam (BBD) will transform Pakistan into a desert, therefore, politicians should stop opposing it, it said.
The construction of KBD is a purely technical matter which has been wrongly tied to the rights of provinces which is unfortunate, said Patron Islamabad Chamber of Small Traders Shahid Rasheed Butt. He said that per capita water availability was 5000 million acre-foot (MAF) in 1947 which has come down to 1000 MAF which is a grave threat as 21 percent of GDP is linked to agriculture while 70 percent exports are tied to agriculture.
The storage capacity of Mangla, Tarbela and Chashma dams has reduced by 25 percent and they are not enough to cater for the needs of the country, he noted. Shahid Rasheed Butt said that water shortage has led to exploitation of groundwater which is being reduced with a fast pace, he said, adding that population will be over 24 crores in twelve years pushing up water shortage to 31 MAF posing a great challenge to national security.
He said that conspiracies against Pakistan should be stopped through concrete measures, KBD should be constructed without delay, water management should be improved and the government should create awareness about the matter.
For more information, contact:
Islamabad Chamber of Small Traders and Small Industry (ICSTSI)
24-D, 3rd Floor, Rashid Plaza Blue Area, Jinnah Avenue, Islamabad, Pakistan
Phone: +92-51-2801045
Email: icstsiofficial@gmail.com, info@icstsi.com.pk
Website: http://icstsi.com.pk/