PESHAWAR
Indus river, the Asia’s longest river, having a length of 3,180 kilometers is unique water-channel in Pakistan which irrigates thousands of hectares of lands from Gilgit Baltistan to Karachi Sindh with abundance of natural sites suitable for construction water reservoirs to counter floods and energy crisis in the wake of climate change’s susceptibility.
Besides River Indus, Pakistan is blessed with over 24 big and small rivers including five in Punjab, four in Sindh, eight in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and seven in Balochistan offer plenty of opportunities for construction of small, medium and big dams.
There are multiple sites for construction of dams on rivers Chanab, Jhelum, Ravi, Sutlaj and Beas in Punjab, Kabul, Swat, Punjkora, Kunhar, Bara, Kurram, Haroo, Gomal, Chitral in KP, Nari, Bolan, Pishin, Lara, Mula, Hub, Zhob, Porali, Hangol, Rakshan, Dasht in Balochistan and alongside the four rivers in Sindh.
Diamir Bhasa, Dasu Kohistan, Kalabagh on River Sindh, Mohamad and Kalam on River Swat, Shalman Khyber on River Kabul, Tangi on River Kurram in North Waziristan, Kaghan-Naran on River Kunhar were most suitable for construction of big dams.
Inspite of enormous water potential, Pakistan is gradually moving towards water-scared country where most of living creatures including humans, wildlife, mammals and reptiles are facing looming threats of water shortage.
National Water Policy 2018 had revealed that Pakistan was heading towards a situation of water shortage due to lack of water reservoirs, which may lead to food insecurity for all living creatures in the next few years provided the new dams were not constructed on priority basis.
The policy disclosed that per capita surface water availability had significantly declined from 5,260 cubic meters per year in 1951 to around 1,000 cubic meters in 2016 and this quantity is likely to further drop to 860 cubic meters by 2025.
The groundwater situation is expected to further decrease mostly in Punjab and Sindh provinces where about one million tube-wells are pumping about 55 million acres feet (MAF) water for irrigation, which is 20pc more than that the water available in canals.
The changing and unpredictable precipitation patterns as evident from August 27, 2022 flash floods had indicated that the country was highly vulnerable to floods and climate change’s vulnerabilities and construction of big water reservoirs were necessary to address the country’s water woes.
Muhammad Naeem, Assistant Professor Economics Department, University of Swabi said that Pakistan was among 10 countries affected by climate change. Besides August 27 floods, he said the March-April heat wave had signified that Pakistan was highly susceptible to weather vulnerabilities including floods.
He said around 46,000 dams were constructed in world including 22,000 dams by China and 4,500 by India while Pakistan could not construct any big dam after Tarbela. Dr Naeem said small dams were being preferred mostly in developing countries like SAARC for irrigation of agriculture and drinking water because it is cost and time efficient and does not require foreign investment as compared to big dams. “Small dams can easily be constructed in two to three years while big dams mostly require 10 to 15 years.”
Small Dams of Irrigation Department’s spokesman said that 24 small dams with storage capacity of 75,008-acre feet (AF) having 49,523 acres cultivated command areas (CCA) were being constructed with the financial assistance of federal government in KP.
Pezu dam in Lakki Marwat, Khattak Bandhan dam in Kohat, and Makh Banda dam in Karak were completed by the federal government. Ichar and Manchura dams at Mansehra, Chashma Akora Khel dam in Karak, Sarozai dam in Hangu, Sanam dam in Lower Dir, Bada dam and Ulta dam in Swabi were constructed jointly by the federal and provincial governments. He said seven medium dams including Bara dam in Khyber, Tank Zam in Tank, Shiekh Haider Zam, Chaudwan Zam, Daraban, and Kora Nullah in DIKhan and Larzan small dam in Tank with water storage capacity of 520,884 AF covering 171,748 CCA besides 31.5-megawatt power generation capacity were in design stage and practical work would start soon on it. The spokesman said designs of seven medium dams including Barwasa and Sher Dara Swabi, Sumri Payan Kohat, Surkhaway Mardan, Naki Nowshera, Shaheed Banda Charssadda and Tora Warae Hangu having water storage capacity of 13,014 AF with 14,935 acres CCA completed.
He said 37 small and medium dams were constructed in the province including 15 operated by KP government while 11 supervised by WAPDA, adding 10 dams were constructed in merged districts having 0.1377 million-acre CCA and 0.3414 AF water storage capacity.
Leaving stories of immense pains and sufferings, the devastating floods of August 27, 2022, had inflicted colossal losses to energy infrastructure including destroying 105 mini micro hydel power stations in northern districts of KP causing over 2.29 million dollars losses to the government kitty.
Nine mini macro power stations were destroyed in Batagram inflicting Rs 9,825,000 losses, eight in Manshera with Rs 89,800,000 losses, 25 in Swat with Rs 184,000,000 losses and 13 in Shangla with Rs 56,000,000 losses.
KP Energy Department’s official told APP that 13 mini macro power stations in Kohistan having estimated financial losses of Rs 75,600,000, 19 in Chitral with Rs 41,140,000 losses, 14 in Dir Upper with 19,646,000 losses and two in Lower Dir with Rs 1,450,000 losses while two in Buner with Rs 3,700,000 losses had been affected by the recent floods. The total losses to these power stations were estimated at Rs 481,209,000 ($2,209,002.02).
According to Met Office, highest rain of 753 millimeters was recorded in Badian in Sindh province followed by 576mm in Kakol Abbottabad and 509mm by Malam Jabba Swat and Balakot Manshera during July 1 to August 31, 2022 which resulted an increasing flow of water in rivers and caused flash floods. The imported machinery purchased during 2017-18 for these power stations were also destroyed. The power houses of these stations in Dubair valley in Lower Kohistan and Kalam, Bahrian in Upper Swat were also destroyed by flash floods.
Besides severe damage to 400 kilowatt (KW) Bahrian power station, 500KW Atror and 15 KW Balgary in Swat, the devastated floods also caused damages to 300KW Ronalia and 40KW Shishal Kiyal power stations in Kohistan and 300KW Bala Ajmir power station in Shangla.
In Manshera, 30KW Kotkay, 100KW Balmunawar and 100KW Kandwara in Kaghan Naran were damaged. A total of 316 mini macro hydel power stations were completed in June this year out of which 105 were damaged/destroyed by the natural calamity. These power stations were benefitting the local population and about 400 families were provided electricity from Ajmir power station.
Professor Dr Zilakat Malik, former Chairman Economics Department, University of Peshawar said that despite enormous hydel power potential, around 60 to 70 percent electricity was being generated through oil, gas and coal in Pakistan.
He said keeping in view of the rapid technological advancement in auto sector, the oil based vehicles would gradually be replaced with power generated cars that would further increase electricity’s demand and per unit cost with unprecedented inflation.
“In summer, we need about 28,000MW electricity while only 22,000MW is being generated through all resources including hydel, coal and that over 25,000 MW electricity could be generated after construction of 25 new dams including Bhasha, Mohmand and others projects,” he said.
Diamer Bhasha dam having a live water storage capacity of over 6.4 MAF with installed capacity of 4500 MW power generation would help generate inexpensive electricity to consumers. Similarly, he said that Dasu Hydro Power project having 4320 MW of power generation capacity per annum and Thakot hydropower project having a capacity of 4,000 MW power production would produce annual energy of 21,300 GWh.
Likewise, Patan hydropower project’s powerhouse with installed capacity of 2400MW power generation would help address water and energy needs he said adding that with completion of Mohmand dam having gross storage capacity of 1.293 MAF and 800 MW power generation would help avert floods and bring vast barren land of Mohmand, Charsaddda and adjoining areas under cultivation.
Besides supplementing 160,000 acres of existing land, about 18,237acres of new land would be irrigated after construction of Mohmand dam while its annual benefits are estimated at Rs 2.23 billion, Dr Zilakat Malik said.
The project would help protect Peshawar, Charsadda and Nowshera from floods with annual Rs45.76 billion revenue in terms of flood mitigation.
The overall benefits of the project stand at Rs51 billion and that over 300 million gallons of water per day would be provided to Peshawar from Mohmand dam for drinking purposes with Rs957 million benefits.
