A section of the Press has reported that as per WAPDA report the storage capacity of three Water storages of Tarbela, Mangla and Chashma have lost 27 percent storage capacity. As such there is urgent need for developing new water reservoirs but lack of political consensus is the main hindrance to construction of megadams. A report submitted by the WAPDA to the ministry of water and power says the live storage capacity of three dams has declined by 4.37 MAF over the years. The storage capacity will further drop considerably by the end of 2025. The original capacity of line storage was 16.29 MAF which has been reduced to 11.91 MAF due to sedimentation and silting. The country has water storage potential of up to 17.8 MAF in future for three more mega dams similar to Diamer – Bhasha dam. It is unfortunate that successive governments have failed to realise the dire need of new water reservoirs which has landed Pakistan in severe water and power shortage. The rulers ought to read the writing on the wall before it is too late.
Lahore , July 18.
