The recently planned Thar Coal Project prioritizes coal over water development projects. Coal is no longer looked upon as a clean energy project. The obnoxious gases thrown in the atmosphere produce acid rain that destroys crops. Hydel energy from water is a better and cheaper option not only to generate energy but also to store water for irrigation purposes so as to boost agriculture which is the engine for industrial as also green revolution. Somehow the national planners are missing the point that has resulted in a Damless Pakistan. For the past four decades we have not built a single hydro electric dam while we cry about India building scores of dams on our western rivers.
This has been due to abject failure of our successive Governments to realize the 44000 MW potential of our hydel resources due to lack of consensus to build e.g. KBD. The failure of politicians to agree on a vital project like KBD only points out to the bankruptcy of our politicians as stated by a former Prime Minister who had said that KBD became a victim of politics and continues to be.
DR. M. YAQOOB BHATTI,
Lahore, February 4.