Read at : Google Alert – desertification
http://www.dawn.com/2011/10/27/diamer-bhasha-dam-a-perspective.html
Diamer-Bhasha dam: a perspective
I AM an architect and university teacher/researcher. I am writing as a former member of a fact-finding mission on the proposed Indus River Diamer-Bhasha Dam at Chilas in 2008, and as a consultant for the NDMA-UNISDR ‘safe cities campaign’ for making Pakistani cities resilient in the face of large disasters.
I understand the technical aspects that this massive dam construction project involves, related to engineering, environment, people and cultural heritage. Having dealt with Wapda directly while part of the mission, I was appalled to see that they were boldly resistant to sharing information which is legally public namely the environmental impact assessment (EIA) which could prove that the proposed project will do minimal damage to the environment, people and heritage, and based on which the government’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) grants approval for large-scale projects.
We were informed by sources that earlier the World Bank had withdrawn funding of the project and that a new report was subsequently being prepared, which would be available at the EPA offices and the legally required public hearings would be announced. Since 2008, every year we have tried to access this document and hearing dates through various sources, but to no avail.
The project is being touted as a multi-faceted saviour for Pakistan’s development, but in fact its construction will be one of the most disastrous investments for the entire nation with far-reaching impacts, especially in the scenario of climate change.
(continued)
