Presently a small part of the Kachi plain in Baluchistan is indirectly irrigated from the Indus water from Guddu barrage with its ‘control head works’ in Sindh. This is because of its geographic location out of the way from the Indus river water. Moreover, from Guddu, it only commands the tail of the Kachi plain. It is observed that Baluchistan generally complaints that Sindh uses Baluchistan water and it suffer on this account.
The most suitable site from where there seems the possibility to take out a canal to irrigate the entire Kachi plain by gravity flow is the Chashma barrage site in Dera Ismail Khan discovered by me in 1960-61 and reported in April 1962 to all concerned. The proposed canal for Kachi plain was named as All Pakistan Grand Canal. The canal is capable to irrigate all the four provinces. Chashma Right Bank Canal (CRBC) in DIKhan augmented the old Paharpur canal. CRBC irrigated Dera Ismail Khan in NWFP and Dera Ghazi Khan in Punjab. My proposal to built All Pakistan Grand Canal included the irrigation of three or four provinces and the whole of Kachi plain but WAPDA ignored this or remained ignorant of it. It only implemented the CRBC project initiated by the Government of NWFP.
Baluchistan has only one source of water and that is the Indus River to irrigate Kachi plain, and Chashma barrage site is the highest point to irrigate the large part of the Kachi plain by gravity flow. Baluchistan has no other mega water source of its own to irrigate lands in Kachi. Because of the geography of Baluchistan, Jehlum River and Chenab River waters cannot irrigate the vast Kachi plain.
WAPDA planned to irrigate Kachi plain in Baluchistan at random from Mithon Kot and wrongly aligned the canal as a long feeder canal and then abandoned it. Perhaps it was not commanding reasonable area of the lower Kachi plain. At the same time its cost was raised from Rs 30 billion to 70 billion because of ill planning.
After failure at Mithon Kot, WAPDA shifted the Kachi canal ‘take out point’ to Taunsa barrage for better command to irrigate. The project is still going on and one is not sure what will happen to this and that how much area will it irrigate?
Baluchistan has no direct source of irrigation from the Indus River due to its geographical location. Moreover, it is located away from all the mega rivers of Pakistan. This is the reason irrigation development of Baluchistan was not tried during the British rule and the same followed by Pakistan. The small share of water of Baluchistan in the Indus water is also stolen by Sindh at Guddu barrage. Baluchistan always lodges complaints but no one listen.
I prepared a Master Plan after investigations for about two years for the optimum development of water and power resources of Pakistan in April, 1962, identifying 12 mega dams that included the unique 35 maf Katzarah Dam and the 8.5 maf Guroh Dop Dam on Panjkora River. While consulting the GTS maps, I came across the vast Kachi plain of Baluchistan. It came to my mind to build Chashma barrage on the Indus before the construction of the Chashma Right Bank Canal (CRBC) on the Indus, just upstream of the old Chashma head works for Paharpur canal, and take off All Pakistan Grand Canal to irrigate lands in all the four provinces by gravity flow. A canal from Chashma would cover almost the entire Kachi plain of Baluchistan starting from the town of Sibi at an elevation of 440 feet. All Pakistan Grand Canal was planned in combination with Katzarah Dam to store floodwater going waste to sea. The pond level at Chashma barrage is between elevation 642 to 646. The highest level of Kachi plan at Sibi is at elevation 440. There is a fall of more than 200 feet.
The Kachi canal would serve as a mini Indus basin irrigation system on the right bank of the Indus River roughly irrigating an area of 5 million acres. On full development, Baluchistan can accrue income from agriculture of about $12 billion each year. The canal will have a first class road in the shape of a Highway or Motorway running near the bank of canal. This road would be connecting Karachi with Islamabad and Peshawar as an alternate route. A new area would be opened in Baluchistan for its rapid development and prosperity.
The Kachi canal irrigation developing the gigantic Kachi plain will serve as a very strong bond uniting Pakistan and would be like the spinal cord of the country. The prosperity of the people of Baluchistan will have big leap and the backlog in development will turn into jumping prosperity. This prosperity will lead to explore the wealth of minerals in Baluchistan. The Gwadar port would serve as the gateway to prosperity. I am sure within the next 30 to 40 years Baluchistan would lead the other three provinces of Pakistan in development if the above proposal is implemented.
Baluchistan and NWFP both have not fully used their water share allocated to them in the Water Accord due to lack of finances, lack of technically sound projects and many other hurdles. Baluchistan unused share of water be used in the development of Kachi plain and if some more water is needed for Kachi plain, the Water Accord may be adjusted accordingly by raising Baluchistan share of 12 per cent in flood supplies in para 4 of the Water Accord after the building of Katzarah Dam.
The 35 maf Katzarah Dam will store floodwater that goes waste to sea each year. There will then be no water problem to irrigate the Kachi plain. Moreover, about 40 maf of wastage of water would be saved from the 165 years old, wasteful, incompatible and obsolete canal irrigation system if Integrated Comprehensive Water Management is carried out. The canal system needs modernization. Water Accord para 14 (e) requires to avoid all wastage. There will then be no water shortage problem as all wastage will be avoided.
Due to the sideward geographic location of Baluchistan and for being away from the sources of river water, irrigation development in Baluchistan did not take place. Therefore the total water allocation of Baluchistan for Kharif is 2.85 maf and for Rabi it is 1.02 maf. The total is 3.87 maf. According to the need the allocation of water to Baluchistan can be increased from floodwater supplies on building Basha Dam and Katzarah Dam to irrigate the entire Kachi plain.
Moreover, it is reported that about 30 maf of water is stolen from the Indus River between the reach Chashma to Guddu and from Guddu to Kotri as tube wells are installed near the bank of the Indus. These unauthorized tube wells are steeling river water with in Punjab and Sindh. This creates shortage of water. IRSA should arrange to stop this practice or corresponding quantity of water should be deducted from the share of Punjab and Sindh.
All conspiracies and foreign interference in Baluchistan will stop when the people of Baluchistan are engaged in the development activities specially the agricultural and mineral development of Baluchistan. Poverty, depravation, and idleness give rise to all crimes and are the killer means to destroy the inner potential and capability of an individual. Therefore constructive activities are needed so that the mind is engaged and poverty and idleness are removed. It also develops sense of patriotism.
In view of the above, let the Government of Pakistan promise to build Kachi canal in combination with Katzarah Dam and create Authority for mineral development of Baluchistan. An ordinance may be promulgated to implement this as early as possible. I would also request the Politicians of Baluchistan to lay emphasis on development and demand specific schemes like the above projects as it will create the source of living within the province. The politicians of Baluchistan and the Government of Baluchistan should raise this demand in National Assembly.
As far as rapid development and money is concerned, I would suggest that Muslim countries, especially the Saudi Arabia, Government of Pakistan and the people of Baluchistan may form a cooperative society. Let the three agree that Saudi Arabia and the Government of Pakistan will bear the finances of the project, the people of Baluchistan will provide land and security facilities for a period of say about 40 years. After the completion of the projects, the profit that will accrue, 40 per cent of that will be given to Saudi Arabia, 20 percent to the Government of Pakistan and 40 percent to the people of Baluchistan for a fixed period. All jobs will be given to the people of Baluchistan.
Copy to:
The Chief Secretary Government of Baluchistan, Quetta
Additional Chief Secretary Pand D, Government of Baluchistan Quetta
Secretary Irrigation Government of Quetta
Speaker, Provincial Assembly Quetta
Secretary Water and Power Government of Pakistan Islamabad
Minister for Water and Power Government of Pakistan Islamabad
Chairman, IRSA Government of Pakistan, Islamabad.
Development of Baluchistan is of vital necessity. Therefore agricultural and mineral development may be given top priority. The building of Katzarah Dam and Guroh Dop Dam are of dire necessity to make more floodwater available under para 4 of Water Accord to the provinces. Let IRSA monitor and distribute the floodwater of the Indus River for optimum use of the provinces.
It is pointed out that no new irrigation scheme in any province can be built unless floodwater is stored as per para 4 and 6 of the Water Accord.
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