In view of widely reported climate change and global warming the glaciers that feed our rivers are constantly retreating at alarming rates which would reduce their flow over next 3 to 4 decades. On the other hand, it is forecasted that in future we would have torrential rains and massive floods, as experienced during 2010 and 2011, inflicting colossal damage in the form of loss of life and damage to crops and property. There is no mega dam in Pakistan that could store rain water below Tarbela Dam. China has built six dams to store water on the Brahmpurta River passing through its territory in the hope of storing mega floods on the river. In our case Kalabagh Dam would be the only one to store 6.1 MAF of water and mitigate damage from floods in the coming years.
However, our planners are least concerned with the writing on the wall and are busy minting money in utter disregard of future portents of climate change that require a major shift in our policies concerning water and power shortage being faced by the nation at present.
DR.MUHAMMAD YAQOOB BHATTI,
Lahore, February 6.