By Ali Imran
ISLAMABAD: As the phenomenon of climate change gradually sprawls its pinching effects upon Pakistan, the race for construction of new water reservoirs gets tough one with each tick of the clock. The only way forward to thwart flash floods in monsoon season in entire Peshawar valley can be carved out by having a new reservoir with ample storage for power generation, irrigation and other purposes.
According to former WAPDA chairman Shams ul Mulk, around 29 million acre feet (MAF) water is being wasted every year in the country due to poor storage facilities and accumulation of silt in the main water reservoirs of Tarbela and Mangla. He said the wastage of 1MAF water was tantamount to losing of US $ 1 billion.
According to Pakistan Water Gateway, a non-governmental water-research portal “Planning for water resource development and management should be at the heart of the policy and be done in co-ordination with the cross-sector policies and projects such as agriculture, irrigation and industry sectors,” it further suggested.
Cognizant of this issue, the incumbent government led by Prime Minister Imran Khan decided to build much awaited big water reservoirs including Mohmand and Diamer Basha dams from its own resources in order to increase water storage in the country besides ensuring water security. Materializing the decade’s long dream, the incumbent govt physically launched work on Mohmad Dam after lapse of 51 years by removing all impediments in way of the project.
