Vice President of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Senator Sherry Rehman, stated that the era of large dams is over and that the solution to floods lies elsewhere.
Speaking on ARY News’ Bakhabar Savera program, Sherry Rehman emphasized that even if the Kalabagh Dam is constructed through some miraculous intervention, it would not prevent floods. “Floods will still occur, even if Kalabagh Dam is built,” she asserted, adding that the focus should shift to more practical and sustainable solutions.
Rehman argued that whenever Pakistan experiences a super flood, the temptation to seek “magic bullet” solutions like mega dams becomes stronger. However, she made it clear that the era of massive dams like Tarbela and Mangla, which were built with international financial support, is long past.
She pointed out that both of these dams are now dealing with significant siltation problems due to the high silt flows from the Himalayan range.
“There is no doubt that the need for better storage exists, but we must focus on small, manageable solutions such as micro-dams and water harvesting reservoirs,” Rehman continued.
“We need to build a network of small dams that can absorb surges and store water without causing flooding. Let’s not confuse the concept of water storage with flood control.”
