巴基斯坦罔顧其環保的基本義務，在巴屬喀什米爾興建大規模的水電工程。
當代國際環.bmp)
境法和標準，規定各國政府和民眾，興建任何重大工程項目前，必須進行環評和生態調查，以實現永續發展的目標。
盡管如此，巴基斯坦水電開發署（WAPDA）在沒有進行環評的情況下，貿然在伊斯蘭馬巴德(巴基斯坦首都)西北部100公里（ 約60英里）處，偏遠而風景秀麗的「尼勒姆」（Neelum）山谷，動工興建耗資21.6億美元的「尼勒姆-傑盧姆」（Neelum-Jhelum）水利工程。.bmp)
這項969百萬瓦的工程將使尼勒姆河改道。尼勒姆河也稱為「克山嘎納」河（Kishangana），起源於印屬喀什米爾地區。該河將流經47公里長的地下隧道體系，匯入靠近巴屬喀什米爾首都穆紮法拉巴德（Muzaffarabad），另一條叫做「傑盧姆」（Jhelum）的河流。
中國，挪威和巴基斯坦的公司都參與了這項建設，預計費時8年完工。一旦完成，將成為巴基斯首屈一指的地下水電工程項目。
參與工程建設人員堅信，該項目不會對該地區生態系統構成任何威脅。因爲根據上世紀90年代一項初步的研究顯示，「該工程對環境的影響有限。」反觀，當地的生態學家卻持不同的看法。
然而，此項工程產生的電力卻能解決廣大的民間需求。目前，巴基斯坦40%的人口缺電，致使巴國面臨嚴重的能源危機。部分地區一天停電時間甚至長達16小時，國民經濟和居民日常生活陷入癱瘓狀態。
為試圖緩解嚴重的能源短缺，巴政府因此倉促興建尼勒姆-傑盧姆水利工程。正因爲如此，永續發展和民眾關注的福祉，在政府急於尋找新的動力源之下被忽略了。
景色絕佳的尼勒姆山谷，是數種瀕臨滅絕稀有物種的棲地。聞名世界的喀什米爾水獺，已鮮少在山谷中出没。另外，北山羊，岩羊，大角羊，雪豹，鼯鼠等也越來越罕見。
尼勒姆山谷是少數還看得到黑頭角雉（western tragopan pheasant）繁衍的地方。艷紅的脖子配上黑白斑點的羽毛，黑頭角雉簡直就是絕世尤物。
其他如翮、鷓鴣、禿鷹、鳶、鷹等物種比比皆是。豐富多樣的鴨，鵝，鶴，燕鷗和水禽仍然在山谷中的濕地、湖泊和溪流築巢。一旦森林和淡水消失，勢必造成棲地很大的威脅。
此外，當地居民也擔心開發水利工程，影響到當地的經濟。在喀什米爾，88%的人住在農村地區，靠林業，畜牧業和農業爲生。這些河流和天然泉水，是飲用水跟河岸兩側附近農田灌溉水的主要來源。
批評人士說，工程規劃和實施階段，負責電力、灌溉、漁業、環境以及地方當局各單位，應該共同參與把整個河流系統研究透徹。
Pakistan has initiated a massive hydropower project in its administrative part of Kashmir without fulfilling basic environmental obligations required for such development projects.
Contemporary international environmental laws and standards bind all governments and their publics to conduct environmental impact assessments and ecological surveys for all major projects to achieve the goal of sustainable development.
Regardless, Pakistan's Water And Power Development Authority has started the construction of the US$2.16 billion Neelum-Jhelum Hydro Project in the remote and scenic Neelum Valley, 100 kilometers (60 miles) northwest of Islamabad, without an environmental impact assessment.
The 969 megawatt project will divert the Neelum River, also called the Kishangana, which originates in the Indian part of Kashmir. The Neelum will flow through a 47 kilometer-long underground tunnel system to another river, the Jehlum, near Muzaffarabad, the capital of the Pakistan-controlled Kashmir.
Chinese, Norwegian and Pakistani firms are all involved in the project, estimated to take eight years to build. Once completed, the Neelum-Jhelum Hydro Project would be the first underground hydropower project of its kind in Pakistan.
The builders insist that the project does not pose any threats to the area's ecological system, as an initial study conducted in the 1990s had suggested "limited environmental impacts of the project."
On the other hand, local ecologists contradict these claims of the WAPDA authorities.
Yet there is a great demand for the power the project would produce. Today, 40 percent of Pakistan's population lives without electricity, and the country is facing a severe energy crisis. In some areas the power is out for 16 hours a day, paralyzing the national economy and residents' daily routines.
The hastily initiated Neelum-Jhelum Hydro Project is part of the government's attempt to alleviate the huge shortfall in meeting energy demand. Sustainable development and public concerns are being ignored in the government's rush to find new sources of power.
The scenic Neelum Valley is inhabited by rare species on the verge of extinction. The world famous Kashmiri otter is now rarely seen in the valley, and ibex, blue sheep, big horned sheep, snow leopards, and flying squirrel are increasingly rare.
The valley is one of the few sites where a breeding population of the western tragopan pheasant, Tragopan melanocephalus, still exists. With its brilliant red neck and black and white speckled plumage, the tragopan pheasant is one of the most magnificent in the world.
Other birds such as quills, partridges, vultures, kites, and eagles abound. A rich variety of ducks, geese, cranes, terns and waterfowl still nest in the valley's wetlands, lakes and streams, and the loss of forest and fresh water there is great threat to their habitat.
Residents fear the local economy will suffer because of the hydro development. In Kashmir, 88 percent of the population lives in rural areas and depends upon forestry, livestock and agriculture for their existence. Water from these rivers and nearby natural springs is a major source for drinking water and irrigation water for farmlands located along the banks.
Critics say the river systems should be thoroughly studied together with agencies that have jurisdiction over electricity, irrigation, fisheries and the environment as well as local authorities during the planning and implementation stages of this project.
作者
In my healing journey and learning to attain the breath awareness, I become aware of the reality that all the creatures of the world are breathing the same breath. Take action, here and now. From my physical being to the every corner of this out of balance's planet.
