Terming building dams a major challenge for the upcoming government, caretaker Minister for Water Resources Syed Ali Zafar presented 10-point reform guidelines including developing consensus on Kalabagh Dam and up to 20 percent budget allocation to address the issue of water scarcity in the country.
Addressing a press conference here on Monday, Zafar said that India has built Kishanganga Dam in sheer violation of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) signed with Pakistan in 1960. Now India is planning to construct Ratle Dam in violation of the IWT and Islamabad should convince the World Bank, which is a guarantor of the treaty, to form a court of arbitration to decide this case.
The formation of arbitration will be a challenge for Pakistan as India is opposing it, having the knowledge of their weak stance in the case, the minister added.
To a question, Zafar said that it is not possible for India or Pakistan to reverse the IWT. Pakistan has become a water-scarce country with the current per capita of water availability of 1000 cubic meters against 5,260 cubic meters in 1947.
Zafar further said that consensus at national level needs to be developed on Kalabagh Dam and the project should be launched soon. Further work on other around 400 small dams and construction of Diamer-Bhasha and Mohmand Dams should be started at the earliest to overcome the issue of water shortage.
The minister presented 10-point reform guidelines including; develop consensus on Kalabagh Dam and then start construction; immediately start work on Diamer-Bhasha and Mohmand Dams; start work on other 400 small dams and reservoirs; increase water budget up to 20 percent of the development budget; lining of canals; modern irrigation system; regulation of tube wells; standardized equipment to gauge water for reducing confusion among provinces over division of water; water treatment plants; and system for preservation of rainwater.
Zafar said that Pakistan should have constructed six to seven big dams so far including Kalabagh Dam to meet its water needs, but it failed while India built dams.
Replying to a question that more money was spent on anti-Kalabagh dam campaigns than pro-Kalabagh dam, he said it is an internal issue and "we have to develop consensus." Foreign elements' involvement cannot be ruled out in delay of Kalabagh Dam, but why no other dams were built, he added.
"Unfortunately, we built only two dams after inking IWT in 1962. At present, Pakistan is facing severe water shortage. As many as 10 suggestions are being pondered by the officials concerned for getting rid of water scarcity," he added.
The minister further said that the storage capacity of Mangla and Tarbela Dams has declined from 15 MAF to 13.1 MAF due to silting and further decline is not out of question in coming time.
He further said that climate change also added to water scarcity as crops pattern seasons could change. He said that around 90-95 percent water is being used in agriculture and around 48 percent water is being wasted due to non-lining of canals. If canals are lined, the country could save 6.5 MAF water annually.
He further said that developed world is spending around 20-30 percent of their development budget on water while Pakistan is spending 3-7 percent on water and could not solve water issues with such a meager budget. He said that tube wells should be regulated through legislation and should be charged. Replying to a question, the minister said that oath-taking of the new government-elect is linked with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) notification and completion of other formalities. "We wish the government-elect to take oath before the August 14, 2018," he added.
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