7000 MW Bonji Dam next, Gilgit – Baltistan being turned into “Damistan”
ISLAMABAD — Pakistan and China have signed a memorandum of understanding for construction of Bunji dam in Northern Areas that will produce 7000 megawatt power.
The agreement was signed by Saleem Mandviwala on behalf of Pakistan’s Ministry of Water and Power and Yang’an, Chairman of China’s Three Gorges Project Corporation. The ceremony was also attended by President Asif Ali Zardari, who is currently visiting China.
Earlier, addressing a business forum in Zhejiang, President Zardari offered transit facility to Chinese companies, saying Pakistan’s ports would benefit Chinese firms by giving them easy access to outside world. He sought Chinese assistance in hydel, thermal and solar power generation and invited Chinese companies to carry out feasibility studies.
“We need solar power for individual housing units and I want the Chinese to carry out study in Pakistan,” Zardari said.
President of the institute Li Yueming said the corporation has carried out studies of a couple of medium-sized dams in Azad Kashmir. It has built over 100 such dams around the world — Africa, South America and Turkey.
Source Khaleej Time
Well, the “Bonji Dam” won’t be a mega level dam. The medium, but esp. micro-level dams, thus, need to be encouraged in our region as they could positively be brought in use for aforestation and agri-utilities in different valleys, besides addresssing the power/electric issues.
Second, this dam defintely is within the region (Northern Areas); and no other provinces can exploit us and claim in such circumstances and seize the opportunities from the deprived communiites of GB.
Third, it may not be on the seismic zone as compared to the Diamar Dam. The Chinese are expert in this matter.
That is tragedy without the consent and confidence from the Local people and Local Government of Northern Gilgit ,Baltistan. The Government of Pakistan planning to make Dams where the area is disputed since 1948 with UNO.
This is the real issue that we have no any identity so we should think about that what are going on and we are silent and our local Government is also.
Please rethink that where we standing as Nation?
i agree to sharifullah…
Dear All
I don’t understand why we even talk on issues like that when we are not even considered as part of something. There is animal right in mentioned in the constitution of Pakistan, if any one steals a cow from any farm of Punjab, its reported and a issue resolved , because they are part of the country
But not you people of a nameless and constitutional-less area, the North of What?
If me to be straight we even have to respect the animals of Punjab, Paktunistan, Baluchistan and Sindh, and even the so called disputed area or Azad-Kashmir (disputed but Azad (independent)) because they are Pakistaniz, by the law of the country.
In other ways we are volunteers , ready to do for someone or for other, lay their services and lives to protect the borders, with the concept of Lalikizm, what ever we have it never ours,
If they have any problem, we are ready to help them , if any part of the country does not allow to built any dam , well use our land with out any feasibility report because it is not need, as mentioned by Kira ,
Not a single words, was heard form the people of North against the Dam, he right because he speaks Punjabi and does not understand Shina or any of the local language form the North.
Now the Bonji project , God know how many more will come, and where the people will go what they are going to survive on.
More to come, with the World Bank, with Asian Development Bank, with Wildlife conservation society , with European development projects for Pakistan and with many more consultants , this land of volunteers will be their for scarifies.
What is need a minister that is called minister of KANA (Blinds)
The world should know , that even in 21 century, there is still a place which is till know ruled by the rules of Ice age. With out any tension or pressure of Human rights. Alive on the donation of NGOs energy drips.
I hope those unhappy with the prospects of building new dams in Gilgit-Baltistan will suggest other alternate means that could help to:
attract investment,
create jobs opportunities,
improve infrastructure and
contribute to living standards in the long run.
Gilgit-Baltistan are geographically destined to be neighbours of China which is going to become more attractive than even the prospect of getting a green card. If such a wealthy and friendly neighbour is happy to invest money today, posing problems will make that source of funding turn away.
Instead of looking at missed opportunities of the past, those contributing their comments about any prospective projects in Gilgit-Baltistan should come up with better alternates.
The question here is why is the NWFP particularly and the whole Pakistan generally so excited and in such hurry to get the Diamir Bhasha Dam approved and completed at such a high cost because they will be loosing nothing but get more on many accounts while NWFP will in all in win win position because it will get 100% of the royalty because there is no mention of Gilgit Baltistan in the Constitution of Pakistan if you see the Article 1 of the constitution with its sub clauses a – d. How does the constitution guarantee the royalty to an area which is not recognized part.
If it is too necessary for the country to solve the electricity shortage, Let’s support to build the Bunji Hydro electric power project where the capacity of power generation is almost double with less investment and little damage to cause major displacement of people.
Let’s play this way, don’t let build Bhasha Dam which will destroy everything of Gilgit Baltistan while the total royalty will go to NWFP. Here at least there will be no one to share the royalty.
Let’s see how much interest do the NWFP show for this project, I am sure they will be the first to object for having such a huge investment in a disputed area which is not their territory.
Kareemjon
I think ur worries about Gilgit Baltistan being governed by NWFP has been taken care of 🙂
Now u have Gilgit Baltistan as a new entity.
U have a new assembly, a Governer and a Chief Minister.
Things are different now on june 7, 2010
Congratulations
Pakistan’s energy demands are expected to rise in future. By year 2030 we will need 100,000 Megawatt of electricity. Where all this will come from when we can’t pay for the existing capacity of 19000 Megawatt. Private electricity companies are threatening to turn off the power, if not paid on their terms. Pakistan’s existing hydel electrical output is under 7000 Megawatt, where Pakistan has a potential of 46000 Megawatt from the Indus River alone. Hydel energy is cheapest as compared to any other renewable or non renewable energy source.
Pakistan has only 20 year of Natural Gas reserves left and . Oil and Gas are not just source for the transpotation, the whole agriculture industry depends on fossil fuels. Fertilizers, Pestisides, Farm Machinery, Transpotation and Storage of Food all depend on fossil fuels. World population has exploded, since the discovery of fossil fuels, all due to cheap and excess food. In absence of fossil fuels all this is going to come to an end. Planet will not support 9 billion people as it has never supported more than 1.5 billion without fossil fuels. Planet population in the last ten thousand years of recorded history was maximum of 1.5 billion (around year 1850) without Oil and Gas. There will be social unrest, crimes, murders, wars and famine and over populated countries like Pakistan are more volunerable is this scenario. Superpowers are flexing their muscles for the control of Oil and Gas reserves overseas Pakistan must seriously think of it’s energy security.
World is starting to move towards hybrid and electric cars, that will mean even higher electrical demand in Pakistan in the coming year as electric car technology makes it’s way to Pakistan. We have no choice but to explore all renewable energy resources and build as many of them as we can. The very survival of Pakistan will depend on it’s energy security.
There is another reason for building dams on urgent basis and that reason is melting of Glaciers in Hamalyas. All Glaciers are expected to melt by year 2035 if current rate of Global Warming continues. Glaciers store water in the form of ice, without that natural storage, we will see winter floods, (if we don’t build dam or storage) there will be no melting snow to provide us water for the summer. This will ruin all the agriculture in Pakistan and famine will automatically reduce population.
I hope people of GB area understand this situation. I agree that the projects must start after permission people of local area, and they must be compensated properly for the loss of property or land. The royality issues must be solved before start of projects. Environment issues must be addressed as well.
I think it is win win situation both for GB area people and Pakistan as whole. The concentration of energy projects in GB will bring a lot of investment. The real estate values will boom, people will get lot more employment oppertunities. Various type of energy hungry Industries will move north. GB geographical approximity to China will mulitply the benifits.
If someone disagree, please explain why these projects are not good for GB. If you have better idea, please bring it up.
SALAM TO ALL PATRIOTIC PAKISTANI OUT THERE AND [… …] TO THOSE WHO ARE OPPOSING THE DAM, IN 2025 RIVER WILL B DISAPPEARED FROM PAK IF WE WONT BULIT DAM TO STORE THEM, ALL OUR WATER IS GOING TO SEA, WHY WE ARE WASTING OUR WATER SUPPORT THE GOVERNMENT IN THIS MATTER
I think the dam is going to be life line of nation. PAkistan needs 6-7 big water resorvoirs for electricity and agricultural purposes. every one is contributin to development of nation i.e. Pakhtunistan through its water and mountains, Punjab with its fertile lands and livestock, BAluchistan with its Gas and petroleum and Sind with it’s Sea pirts and also big reservoirs og gas and petroleum, also Azad kashmir hosted one dam (MAngla). so why not northern areas contribute. its not northern areas it has become the 5th province of pakistan and all the citizens of that areas have equal rights withh all others. i tell you that enemy(indians) has intruded even here and misguiding our loving pakistanis. This dam will not only serve the punjab, NWFP,BALUCHISTAN,SIND but InshAllah will be a big source of economic development of GilgitBAltistan. Also Gilgit baltistan is not disputed territory its established part of Pakistan. The disputed territory is Jammu and Indian held Kashmir where india has already constructed kishan ganga dam and Baghliar dam. This is territory of pakistan the 5th province.
Gilgit Baltistan is a no mans land misutilising by pakistani interest.
all plans of our government are haphazardly decided and developed. there is no advance brainstorming and no research for testing the feasibility……………………..
since northern areas of pakistan are not only strategically sensitive but also environmentally vulnerable. these areas should remain intact from pollution and other environmental hazardes. the local authorities should stricktly ban the bulging number of unnecessary vehicles also the construction of factories in NAs should be discouraged as this may disturb the natural balance. today these areas are facing hunza lake disaster which has put thousands lives to danger. if the government continues its naive attitude towards these matter then Pakistan will become another somalia economically and environmentally in the offing.
geografically, pakistan has excellent land for agriculture then why our government is trying to win the race for becoming a so called developed country. it should try to become self sufficient by updating and advancing its agricultural and irrigation systems.
may Allah help Pakistan!
If some one say that water is going in the sea he is fool of the century not a single drop of water is going into sea. people of the lower area of sindh dont find a drop of water to drink . punjab have looted every part of country GB sindh balochistan but thier needs are not fulfilled. Punjab ke hawas shitan ke aant ke tarah he jo kabhi khatum nahin hogi.
Sir Kandero .. You R Wrong .. Actually Indus River Wastes Most Of its Water Into Sea During Late June To early september … Rest Of the year No Water !!! If You Store It During Monsoon You Can Make it flow In Dry season …… ITS Simple .