Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has defended his Govt’s positions stating future projects for generating power based on imported coal and a belated hydel source, but has studiously avoiding the taboo word ‘water’. During protests, shown daily on TV screen the issue of water scarcity is raised vehemently by people who say that need for water is larger than the need for metro buses and motorways, but there is no response from PML-N. The truth is that no mega water reservoir has been built during the past four decades, which has resulted in reduction of four per cent in irrigated area of Pakistan, while even drinking water is not available in many urban areas.
The people have cried themselves hoarse for water, but the rulers do not utter a word about building any water reservoirs that could also provide power at dirt cheap cost. The single failure to build KBD dam, by quoting the need of consensus, is a lame excuse. Where is the sagacity and leadership of PML-N in asking for a consensus? Building KBD is the shortest route to prosperity for the nation and they keep asking for consensus?. No dam like Dasu would cater to the water needs of the country and Bhasha dam is too far in the distant future for providing any relief for another decade. The patience of the people would not suffer the delay in the water issue which is a central issue for the people and agriculture which is the engine to drive industry.
DR.MUHAMMAD YAQOOB BHATTI,
Lahore, June 21.