Essay 37 Kalabagh Dam for 12/BA/B.Sc. English by AG Ahmad

 Essay No 37

Kalabagh Dam

OUTLINE: (For BA Students)

1. Pakistan is suffering from an active shortage of electricity. The gap between demand and supply of electricity is widening day by day.

2. There are several natural elements from which energy is derived. They elements are coal, oil and gas.

3. Dams should be built to generate electricity.

4. The proposed project of Kala Bagh dam is located on the Indus River 144 Kilometer downstream of confluence of Kabul and Indus River.

5. Kala bag dam will be the main source of producing cheap electricity.

6. The construction of Kala bag dam is a must for the prosperity of our country.

As some-one has wisely said,

"God is a great underground river that

no one can dam up and no one can stop."

Pakistan is suffering from an active shortage of electricity. The load shedding of electricity has become a routine matter in the country. There is profound difference between the present demand and supply of electricity. The population of Pakistan is increasing at a tremendous rate. The gap between demand and supply of electricity will widen keeping in view the accelerated increase in population. The result is that the rate of electricity is going up every year in the country.

As, some-one has wisely said,

Repeated episodes of widespread load-shedding,

amid plenty are clear reminders of this.

Moreover, for want sufficient amount of electricity, the economic and industrial progress of the country is at stake. There are several natural elements from which energy is derived. These elements are coal, oil and gas. These natural resources are to generate electricity. It is generally agreed that generation cost for the thermal power from furnace oil, coal and natural gas is at least five to twenty times more than that of the cost of hydral power generation. As, some-one has wisely said,

"Its operation in a world beset by fuel

and energy crises makes no sense at all."

The construction of Kala Bagh Dam has been declared by the engineers and the scientists as a cheap source of energy. It is going to play a vital role in the economic and industrial development of the country. The history of Kala Bagh Dam could be traced back to our four decades. As, some-one has wisely said,

"In reality drilling is the slowest, dirtiest,

and most expensive way to solve our energy crisis."

In 1953, it was identified as a potential dam site for water storage as well as power generation. The Kala Bagh Dam project includes construction of 260 feet high dam to create reservoir with the capacity of 6.1 million acre feet (MAF). It could be used for power generation, irrigation and flood control. The proposed project has two spillways having discharge capacity of a little over two million cusecs. As some-one has wisely said,

“Although, water provides no calories or organic nutrients,

It plays an important role in our world.”

The right bank will be used for disposal of flood water, while the left bank will house a power station connected with 12 tunnel conduits. The ultimate power generation capacity is said to be 3600 MW. The proposed project is located on the Indus River 147 Kilometer down-stream of the confluence of Kabul and Indus River. It is almost 120 miles up of the Tarbela Dam and fifteen miles up the Jinnah Barrage in Mianwali. As it is wisely said,

“As we strive for a happier and more fulfilling life,

we can draw much inspiration from water.”

The proposed reservoir has a maximum retention level of 925 feet based on sea level at Karachi. The modified project has the reservoir whose maximum retention level is 915 feet from the sea level. It cannot pose threat to Mardan (970 feet), Nowshera (935 feet) and Swabi (1000) feet. As, some-one has wisely said,

"We have seen the Democrat solution to an energy crisis;

it's called Pakistan."

Inspite of the great utility of the Dam as a cheap source of energy, it has sparked off a controversy. Except Punjab, the announcement of constructing the Dam was received with a wave of protests, rallies and sit-ins. As, protestors say about the dam,

"All dams are ugly, but the Kalabagh Dam is sinful ugly."

The construction of Kala Bagh Dam is essential for the prosperity of the coming generation. Pakistan has not built any hydro dam since 1975. Though many private power plants including the 1292 MW. Hubco, have been allowed to generate and sell electricity.

But electricity which these plants sell to Pakistan is very costly. The immediate benefit of the construction of Kala Bagh Dam is that the 40000 people belonging to Kohat and Peshawar will get job opportunities. As, it is rightly said,

"And we need a full affront on an energy crisis that is real in Pakistan,

and looms for other parts of our country if we don't move quickly."

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