Kala Bagh Dam

SINDH OPPOSES KALA BAG DAM

This is the very serious and burning issue of our times. Sindh is justified to oppose the construction of Kalabag Dam on the following grounds:

1. There is no much water left in Indus.
2. The “Katcho” will die.

Indus inundated area on both side of the river at an average 5 miles (8km)wide, total about 1/9 million areas, very rich in fertile due to aeons of nutritional silt deposition. Apart from this a thick riverine forest has grown on 598,880 acres (240,000 he ctraces) of Katcho. It depends entirely upon the inundation of Indus. Whernever the quantity of water flowing down the river is nor sufficient sub merge the ‘Katcho’ everything is affected and even wells for drinking water run low. If KBD is constructed/built, than:

• Loss of surface moisture – soil degradation, solinty, winal erosen – turning the land into desert.
• Soil erosen – decline of succession of plants – within 50 years forest will be invisible.
• More than one hundred thousand dependent people will face economic & social ruin.
• Shortage of honey,gum,timber,animals,meat,dairy,poultry & live stock.

3. Mangrove forests will be affected:

Most productive, protecting and nurturing thousand of botanical, aquatic & wildlife species,

Principle components of delta ecosystem, provide ideal nursery grounds for many commercial fish species. Support wild life species: Jackals, reptiles, dolphin, protect sindh coast as forest break the force of waves: hence 200 miles long coast protected, otherwise situation of Bangladesh to be witnessed.

They have tendency to filter, sand from the sea water and are protecting existing ports otherwise sand might have choked the ports.

4. Pollution of the water Resources:

• Irrigation returns carrying surface salts & pesticides. Pakistan was about 25,000 of organic, phosphorus and organo-chloride pesticides, there are non biodegradable resulting adding of harmful poisons in Indus water.

• • Human & industrial effluent from 40 cities and hundreds of villages situated on the river bank add to the pollution.

• Decreasing flow in Indus to warm and draw weather of lower Indus plain further add to the pollution.
• Natural lakes will disappear.
• The changing course of Indus has left thousand of small & large depressions that become natural lakes when fill with water. Sindh is therefore hom to some Asia’s largest lakes like Manchar, Kenjhar, Haleji & Hadero (Thutta) & Chotiari (In Sanghar). Most of them inundation lake. Loss of irrigating land, fish, birds, recreation – social economic loss.
• Salt water Intrusion:
• The flow of water in Indus effectively checks salt water intrusion from the Arabian Ocean into lower flood plains of Indus. If Indus River is chained at Kalabag, the unchecked sea water will start flowing up into Indus and its estuaries.
• The exorbitant cost:

When the economy of the country is reeling under external and internal debt of more than Rs 02 trillion, when each Pakistani is under debt, when the balance of payment is more than $ 3 billion in the red annually, then why to launch is mighty and costly project.

The GUL HAYAT INSTITUTE has prepared chronology of the events and activities to give some ideas about the Sind reaction on the issue. This chronology, though not comprehensive and 100% complete, as the sufficient to give clear picture of the story.

The material/data/information can be provided on request