Key concerns

The proposed Diamer-Basha project is located in that part of POK called the Northern Areas. The Diamer-Basha dam project is expected to enhance water supply by creating a mega reservoir to store 7.2 MAF of water and create an additional power generation capacity of 4,500 MW. The dam site has come into controversy for several reasons. First, the location of the dam falls inside the disputed territory of Kashmir on the Pakistani side of the LoC. Second, the project involves huge costs owing to its geographical setting in the precipitous slopes of the Karakorum ranges. Third, the Diamer-Basha dam site is located close to the collision boundary of the Asian tectonic plates. Fourth, one of the world’s most notable archeological sites would be inundated by the dam, wiping out remnants of the indigenous cultures of the Gilgit and Balti people.

Implications of WB conditions

The WB Chief Water Specialist for South Asia, David Grey led the WB delegation on a week-long visit to Pakistan in March to conduct a preliminary review of the proposed dam and the hydropower generation project. The WB team has also been concerned about the state of water releases to stop sea intrusion, especially to downstream Kotri into the sea to balance the Indus Delta’s ecology. A recent Ministry of Water and Power Resources study, conducted by a committee headed by A.N.G. Abbasi has recommended that 8.6 million acre feet (MAF) of water be released to stop sea intrusion into coastal areas.

The decision of the Pakistani government to take the WB on board for consultation on the proposed change in the dam design has proved to be very expensive for WAPDA. The changes escalate the project costs by $2.06 billion.

People’s opposition

The Diamer-Basha would render over 30,000 people displaced and inundate 31,580 acres of barren and 1,600 acres of arable land in Diamer district. Resettlement of the displaced is a vital aspect as individual landholdings are relatively small and the rocky terrain leaves very meagre land fit for cultivation. Relocation to far flung areas makes preservation of their unique identity and culture a complex issue.

Royalty is a sensitive issue, wherein the storage structure is to be situated in Chilas in PoK while the hydro-electric power station is planned at Basha in the NWFP. Royalty, as per Article 161(2) of Pakistan’s Constitution accrues to the province in which the hydro-electric station is situated and not the province where the storage structure is built, which bears the brunt of displacement. There are natural misgivings about the government’s promises, given the atmosphere of insecurity in the region which lacks political representation.

Future of big dams

The WB review of its funding to the project sets a precondition for adhering to internationally accepted safety norms and has forced Pakistan to finally take serious note of social repercussions. The Pakistani Government’s stand in going ahead with the project despite fervent protests by the people of POK only showcases its apathy towards the region. It also highlights the urgent need for large storage structures, which are seen as the panacea for tackling the impending scenario of water scarcity in the region.

Sidelining the interests of POK for buttressing the grievances of the other provinces is proving to be expensive for the Pakistani government — financially, with the design changes being recommended to adhere to safety standards; and politically, by alienating the populace of the region.

The writer is a research scholar, School of International Studies, JNU