Islamabad (June 28, 2018): No disputed dam would be constructed sans addressing the reservations of all provinces, said Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Saqib Nisar on Wednesday.
Addressing a consultative meeting to evaluate the severity of water shortage and recommend remedial measures, he said the Supreme Court would provide institutional support in this regard.
The chief justice urged experts to share proposals to initiate the construction of dams and reservoirs to encounter the issue of water crises in the country,
Experts while addressing the meeting called for constructing Bhasha dam, saying that Kalabagh dam should also be constructed after evolving consensus among all federating units.
The meeting, chaired by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, was organized by Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan in the conference room of Supreme Court of Pakistan to discuss water scarcity issue at length.
The experts demanded the constitution of a task force for appointing consultants to validate construction design of the dams.
They said no dam or reservoir was constructed in the country since last 40 years putting the country in drastic position and situation. No water policy could be regularized at the national level and people were dying due to non-availability of water in remote areas of the country, they added.
The housing societies should be directed to construct their water reservoirs to cater the needs of their residents, they said, adding CDA and WASA should manage untreated water. The sugar cane cultivation should be eliminated as it consume huge water. Wastage of water should be discouraged strictly.
The meeting was attended by former Chairman WAPDA Shamas-ul-Mulk, representatives of Ministry of Energy, Ministry of Climate Change, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Ministry of Water Resources, Federal Flood Commission, National Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (NEECA), Ministry of Planning and Development and Reform, Pakistan Meterological Corporation Islamabad and Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), representatives of Pakistan Commissioner for Indus Waters, Office of the Chief Engineering Advisor and former secretary Sindh Irrigation Department Khalid Haider Memon, former Member Engineering CDA Shahid Suhail and Researcher engineer Mumtaz Ahmed.
Former Secretary Irrigation Sindh Khalid Haider Memon urged the chief justice to direct Sindh Irrigation department to release outstanding funds to Manchar lake.
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