Islooo Talking Point: A Sun Rise in Mangla Dam

Evening of the Saturday I got call from my office colleague Mr. Muhammad Arshad and later from Mr. Saqlain bin Arif and they invited me for a trip to Mangla Dam. I was just arrived from an Family Trip of Zoo & Play Land in Islamabad and I was really tired. This trip was an outing for my kids and family and dealing with kids is not an easy job and when the trip is for Zoo and Play land you can imagine how tough this trip was.

Anyway, they just told me about trip and gaved me half hour to get ready because they were already on the way towards me to pick me up. I tried my best to avoid it but they were on fire and was not in the mood of sparing me.

I must say sometimes its good to not avoid that kinda trip which opens new doors of looking the things in different way and to explore the beauty of the nature on its peak. So I accepted the offer even I was so tired.

The Mangla Dam is the twelfth largest dam in the world. It was constructed in 1967 across the Jhelum River, about 67 miles (100 km) south-east of the Pakistani capital, Islamabad in Mirpur district of Azad Kashmir, Pakistan. The main structures of the dam include 4 embankment dams, 2 spillways, 5 power-cum-irrigation tunnels and a 1,000 MW power station.

In order to remedy the storage capacity decreases, the Government has decided to raise the dam by 40 feet to 494 feet high. This will increase the reservoir capacity by 18% and provide an additional 644 MWh of power, but will displace 40,000 people currently living near the reservoir.

We reached to the Mangla Dam at 8.00 PM and our Host Mr. Nazir Thaikedar was waiting on the point he told us. I got some relaxation during establishing our camp and at the same time our host was preparing Dinner for us.

I woke up because of some huge noises made by my friends because they catch an China Silver Fish and they were celebrating there first success. When I cam out from my tent and the senec was unbelievable which I am unable to describe. Sun was ready to rise and the color of sun was intense red and Orange. I watched as the large glowing sphere rose slowly into the dull morning sky. Casting sunbeams in every direction making the sky more radiant as it climbed higher and higher into the sky. Sun can symbolize a new birth, a continuing of life, a new beginning, a fresh start. (To be continued....)