Dams - a 360 view

Dams & Downstream Consequences

Franklin Dam Protest (Australia): A notable environmental campaign in the 1980s successfully halted the construction of a dam on Tasmania's Franklin River. Protesters, including fishermen, argued that the dam would destroy critical habitats and cultural sites, highlighting the intersection of environmental conservation and community livelihoods. 

Impact of Dams on Fishers: Dam construction can significantly disrupt fish populations and river ecosystems, impacting fishing communities that depend on them for their livelihood

Key locations of protests

Thailand: Citizens, including fishermen, have protested dams on the Mekong River, citing unclear environmental and social impacts.

In late 2024, protesters called for Thai banks to withdraw funding for the Pak Beng dam due to concerns over its effects on fisheries, including the iconic Mekong giant catfish.

India: Local communities in India have resisted mega-dam projects, citing threats to livelihoods and food security.

In June 2025, villagers in Arunachal Pradesh protested a major dam project on the Subansiri River, worried that the project would scatter their community.

South Korea: In August 2025, fishermen visited the Namgang Dam to protest damage to fishing grounds caused by water discharge.
Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum: This group consistently raises issues concerning the rights and livelihoods of fishermen, including their concerns about resource management and economic conditions. While not exclusively focused on dams, their activism reflects the struggles faced by coastal and riverine fishing communities.

Pakistan: Fishermen, particularly in the Sindh province, have organized long marches and rallies against dams, including the proposed Kalabagh and Diamer-Bhasha dams.

In October 2018, a march traveled for days from Thatta to Karachi, protesting that dams would cage the Indus River and deprive Sindh of its water share.

In January 2025, protests began against a dam project at the Kotri Barrage, which locals fear will cause severe drought in Sindh.

Large rivers in which upstream dam activity has led to water shortages downstream include 

the Yellow River in arid northern China; 

the Ganges, where upstream activity in India has damaged livelihoods in downstream Bangladesh; 

the Euphrates, where Turkish dams cause drought in Iraq; 

and the Colorado River, where US abstractions leave little water for Mexico.

Dams and Hoarding ,

*Hoarding water* on a large scale is strictly forbidden. It is considered a form of **"Ihtikar"** (monopolistic hoarding), a major sin that directly violates the principles of justice, public welfare, and community rights. Islamic law fundamentally views water not just as a commodity, but as a shared resource essential for life.

Here is a breakdown of the core teachings that prohibit this practice:

### 💧 Shared Ownership and the Prohibition of Hoarding

Islamic tradition clearly establishes that certain resources are common property among all people. The Prophet Muhammad explicitly stated: *“Muslims are partners in three things: water, pastures, and fire”*. This foundational principle means that withholding water from those who need it is an act against the community.

### ⚖️ Defining "Ihtikar" (Monopolistic Hoarding)

The technical term for the forbidden act of hoarding is **Ihtikar**. It is defined as buying up and withholding essential goods, particularly food and water, when they are scarce to force prices to rise.

Scholars classify this as a major sin for several reasons:

*   **It causes direct harm** to the community by creating artificial scarcity.

*   **It shows a severe lack of compassion**, contradicting the core Islamic teaching that a believer should want for others what they want for themselves.

*   **Hadith on the subject** include severe warnings: *“Only the errant monopolize”* (Sahih Muslim) and *“A person who monopolizes is cursed”* (Al-Hakim).

### 📜 Justice in Distribution and Prohibition of Waste

Beyond hoarding, Islamic law promotes equitable sharing and strictly forbids wastefulness, even when water seems abundant:

*   **Fair Distribution**: A famous hadith describes how the Prophet ruled that water should be shared fairly, starting with higher ground before being released to lower areas. This ensures everyone gets their right without depriving others.

*   **No Wastefulness**: The Prophet even told a man performing *wudu* (ablution) by a flowing river not to be wasteful, stating, *“Yes, even if you are beside a flowing river”*. If waste is prohibited, hoarding is even more egregious.

### 🚱 Rulings on Water Theft and Illegal Extraction

Modern applications of these principles are clear in rulings by contemporary Islamic bodies. They specifically address large-scale violations:

*   **Water Theft is Forbidden**: Tampering with meters or tapping into pipes is considered theft and a major sin, likened to "eating up people's property unjustly" (Quran 2:188).

*   **Illegal Wells are Transgression**: Drilling wells without a permit is seen as stealing public funds, which the Prophet said leads to Hellfire.