Dams being built by India on River Indus pose danger to N Areas, Basha Dam, KKH

[Naveed Yaseen]

India has worst record of dams’ failure; Nine dams have so far collapsed destroying downstream areas

Saturday, February 14, 2009
By Khalid Mustafa

ISLAMABAD: The three dams being built by India on River Indus could play havoc in Northern Areas of Pakistan if the said reservoirs collapse for any reason intentionally or unintentionally releasing huge quantum of water causing flash floods that could devastate large swathes of land in Pakistan.

The Skardu city is to be the first victim and its airport that is only 17 to 18 meter high from Indus bed, would be submerged. The 282 Kilometer section of Karakoram Highway (KKH) from Besham to Jaglot having total length 806 Kilometer from Hasanabdal to Khunjarab would be washed away along with all bridges.

The said dams have exposed the Diamer-Bhasha Dam to danger, a senior official disclosed this to The News quoting the information contained in the Annexure A of the letter faxed to Prime Minister, and Federal Minister of Water and Power and environment by Arshad H Abbasi, Visiting Research fellow SDPI Islamabad.

“India is constructing large dams on River Indus, which include Nimoo Bazgo with height 57-metre, Dumkhar of 42 meters height and “Chutak” dam 59 meters height to basically generate hydropower. Three dams can store water up to 120,000,000 cubic meters. India’s dam-failure record has been worst, as nine of its dams have so far collapsed,” he said.

The scribe when contacted Sardar Aseff Ahmed Ali Deputy Chairman Planning Commission for comments over the development he said: “The concerns in your startling information earlier published in The News is well taken and this will be provided to the concerned department to take up this issue with authorities concerned in Pakistan as to whether the projects are being made by India on River Indus are in line with Indus Waters Treaty or not and the impact of the said dams on Pakistan’s areas if the dams collapsed.”

To a question he said that Kalabagh Dam has been deferred not shelved forever. The fast pace construction of Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower project has also been kicked off to establishing committed water uses on Rive Jhelum.

So we are working but as far as the erection of dams on Indus by India is concerned, Planning Commission is not mandated to look upon this very issue. However, he being Deputy Chairman of Planning Commission would take up this issue with concerned authorities in Pakistan.

This scribe failed despite two days of efforts to make contact with Shahid Rafi, Secretary Water and Power seeking comments over the issue.

When contacted Syed Jamaat Ali Shah, Pakistan Commissioner of Indus Waters said that his department is aware of the development and said that India can make the projects on run of the river. When asked as to whether he ever visited the site where India has kicked of physical construction, he said not yet. “We would like to go there when the tension between India and Pakistan following the Bombay attacks ease,” he said.

When asked that these projects have been substantially constructed and why Pakistani experts team has not so far visited the site, Shah argued that under the Treaty India is obliged to give information about the projects and we have received the information. He said whenever the tension will ease Pakistan’s experts would visit the site of the said dams.

When asked that India have worst ever track record of dams’ failure, he said: “We do not need to be worried as India is now introducing the modern technology in building the dams.”

However, the letter faxed to the government says that even in the modern history of dams, India has the worst record in dams’ failure. As many as nine dams of India have so far collapsed and the failure the latest was Jaswant Sagar Dam of 43.38 meters height that collapsed in July 2007.

Pakistan being on low riparian side is exposed to massive annihilation if the said three dams collapse.

The Nimoo Bazgo Hydro Power (HE) Project is situated at village Alchi, 70 kilometers from Leh and construction work is at full swing.

Dumkhar HE Project is proposed to generate 130 MW by construction of 42-meter high dam. The project site is located at about 128 Km from Leh on Leh-Khalsi Batalik road. And Hydroelectric Project “Chutak” is under construction on River Suru, (a major tributary of Indus River in Indian held Kashmir) to harness 44 MW initially in Kargil district by construction of 59-metre-high concrete Dam. Failure of Banqiao dam in China in August 1975 caused a 10 km wide and up to 23 ft high wave rushing downwards to the plains at nearly 50 km per hour killing 26,000 people from flooding and another 145,000 from subsequent epidemics and famine.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=162427