The column by Khizr Imran Tajammal in The Nation of Apr 24, has admirably spelled out the pros and cons of the Chinese investment package. Of special interest to me is his statement that the government has declared all future Solar and Wind energy projects as unfeasible. This means the government is putting all its eggs in the small dams basket, including Dasu. What will more small dams do that the 60 small dams already built in the Potowar region have not done, other than meet the power and water requirements of the locality in which they are built? Dasu dam will give us the required power but no water. The last I heard Pakistan is still an agricultural country and needs water as much as it needs power. Agriculture adds 24pc to GDP, accounts for 60pc of export revenues, employs almost half the labour force of the country, feeds 80pc of the country’s population, and provides livelihood to 70pc of the rural population. We neglect agriculture at our own peril. We have to think hard where we are going to get the much needed water for irrigation
ENGR KHURSHID ANWER,
Lahore, April 26.