President Asif Ali Zardari has emphasised the need of building mini dams in Pakistan. While the President visits China to appreciate the Three Gorges Dam that generates 16800 MW of power, he recommends making mini dams at home to divert attention from Kalabagh dam. While we have a need of bridging a gap of 6000 MW in supply and demand of energy the President’s needle is stuck on making mini dams of 50 to 100 MW capacity with little storage of water on small rivulets and streams which cannot solve our energy problem till dooms day. A US report states that entrenched interests are resisting policy responses needed to transform the economy in Pakistan. With diminished hydroelectric generation the economic growth has been reduced by 3 to 4 percent per annum with 8 to 20 hours of load shedding in a day.
DR. MUHAMMAD YAQOOB BHATTI,
Lahore, August 4.
