[asia-apec 1054] The Chotiari Reservoir Project Sindh Pakistan

[Dr. Aslam Pervez Umrani]

The Chotiari Reservoir Project

Pakistan Network for Rivers, Dams and People (PNRDP) Sindh would like to
provide basic facts about the construction of Chotiari Reservoir in Sindh,
Pakistan, and its effects on environment and people of that region. These
facts are taken from the Chotiari Reservoir Independent Study 1998.

The Chotiari Reservoir Project is designed to increase the storage capacity
of lakes in district Sangher, Sindh, Pakistan. In order to increase the
irrigation discharge for agriculture in the Umarkot district. The initial
proposed capacity of the reservoir was 0.95 MAF (million acre-feet) of
water, which will be increased to 2.5 times. Even in present proposed
capacity, it will be flooding an area of approximately 100 square miles and
engulfing 46 villages and 45,000 acres of cultivated or grazing land.
However, after completion of the project, 150000 acres new land will be
brought under the plough. In the past, always bureaucrats, people from other
provinces and feudal lords get hold of newly developed lands. The
construction cost of the project is likely to escalate to over RS. 5 billion
(100 million US Dollars), compared to the previous estimates of RS. 1.5
billion (30 million US Dollars).

This project is assisted by group of donors led by World Bank that includes,
IDA, ADB, ODA (now DFID), Swiss Development Corporation, OPEC, Saudi Fund
for Development, Islamic Development Bank (IDB) and CIDA. The construction
of the reservoir was assisted by the Saudi Fund for Development, whereas
World Bank through Government of Pakistan funded the resettlement plan.

The Chotiari lake area is characterised by wetlands, reverine forests,
desert scrubs and sand dunes, which provides an ecological richness, and it’
s a haven for migratory birds, hog-deer, local species of crocodile, and a
variety of fish species. Chotiari also supports grazing, fishing and
agricultural activities of indigenous people.


Due to this project, families living in the area for many generations would
be forced to vacate their lands and traditional way of life in the name of
so called progress. Herdsmen who for generations have used the existing lake
fringes as pasture land will now have to move away in search of grazing
sites, which will increase grazing pressure in other areas. Fishing
communities harmonised with the ecology of the lakes would be stranded on
the shores of this vast reservoir. With the substantial increase in water
level of the lakes all existing grass and tree species will be drowned,
which will be changing the natural eco-system forever. The likely increase
in water seepage and water logging will contribute to the destruction of
adjacent areas. Risking the loss of good arable lands and increasing the
stress over the fauna and flora of the area.

In addition to inherent adverse impact associated with the construction of
the reservoir there have been significant wrong doings associated with the
land acquisition, compensation and resettlement plans as well as with
mitigation measures for adverse environmental impacts.

We can find no justification for continuing this project because:

1. Additional water 2.24 MAF for the reservoir would be diverted from the
water presently flowing to the Indus delta. This would very adversely affect
the ecology of delta region, such as mangroo forest of coastal area,
destruction of agricultural lands of coastal area due to increase in sea
water level in delta.
2. Chotiari project planning was done without conducting systematic and
detailed geological hydraulic and ecological survey of the reservoir area
and surrounding lands.
3. No revised cost benefit analysis exists for this project, despite the
fact that original estimated cost has gone up three times.
4. The affected communities were not made part of participation process in
project planning. In consequence, the present resettlement plan does not
address the actual problems of agricultural, herdsmen and fishermen
communities. The existing resettlement plan and relocation site will produce
impoverishment, food and other insecurities for majority of resettlers.

Thus we think that all construction activities at the reservoir should be
stopped until new survey for ecological impacts on local environment is
carried out.

Dr Aslam Pervez Umrani PhD
                 Interim Convenor
Pakistan Network of Rivers Dams & People
                         Sindh Chapter


Editor: Sustainable Livestock and Agriculture Production (SLAP),
Address: House No. 60, Al-Abbas Housing Society,
New Wehdat Colony, Hyderabad, Pakistan.
Email: agr726 at hyd.zoooom.net.pk
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