Daily Times

It is a worrisome fact that Pakistan is at the 7th position in the list of countries which are facing water scarcity, according to a UNO report. The consumption of ground water is increasing at a rapid speed as the population is growing by the minute. An overwhelming amount of water is being pumped out which is causing contamination with heavy metals such as copper, nickel, which are known to be a common cause of spreading serious diseases.

The inflow of water through rivers has decreased dramatically after signing of the Indus Basin Treaty with India because the availability of water from rivers Ravi, Sutlej and Bias depends upon the will of India. We have always been weary of Indian intentions and designs because it has a history of undermining Pakistan’s viability and stability one way or another. These three rivers have dried up because India has constructed dams on them.

However, Jhelum and Chenab rivers are in control of Pakistan. More than India, we ought to blame ourselves for doing little to ameliorate the water situation. The equation of availability of water and its extravagant consumption is dangerously uneven. We are not getting and saving as much water as required but are consuming it or even wasting it liberally, rather lavishly, in our homes, offices, fields and factories.

The main sources of water wastage are prolonged showers, hosing down the patio, driveway and sidewalk, letting the water run when brushing your teeth or shaving, flushing away many gallons of water in toilets, over watering the plants and grass in gardens etc.

At the national level, Pakistan needs to work incessantly to overcome the horrible water shortage. Firstly, there is a need to have a proper check on the water policy and whether all the strategic plans are being implemented or not. Water reservoirs need to be built to store water and also help control floods.

Pakistan has two common sources of irrigation; one is through surface water and the other is groundwater. Both if used extravagantly have their disadvantages that cause loss of water and soil erosion as well. Water starved country like Pakistan cannot afford such carelessness. Therefore, it is imperative to implement efficient irrigation systems such as a drip system.

Drip system takes time to absorb water which means that there isn’t wastage of water as this process avoids runoff. Also, drip system uses very little water in comparison with other systems. On domestic level, small efforts can also lead to great impacts and it’s a great idea to start at home. It’s important that people are made aware of the water issue and encouraged to boil their water, take shorter showers, steam their food instead of boiling and save unclean clothes to be washed together, use the garden hose with a shutoff nozzle, mind the tap while brushing your teeth or shaving.

People must be aware of the fact that we do not have the luxury to waste water any more. Maybe it was pardonable to waste water hundreds of years ago when population was scant and water was abundant. Today, a burgeoning population of 7 billion cannot afford to savagely waste the limited level of resource. This is criminal negligence.

It must be countered through awareness programs and legal action. Our existing generation and posterity will have to pay the penalty of being negligent towards water usage. Having said this, it is a fact that our contribution in wastage of water is minimal as compared to richer nations. Average American uses around 575 litres of water every day; Europeans use about 250 litres per day, whereas, developing countries use 20 litres per day. So there is a greater onus on the developed world to avoid wastage of water. However, this situation, in no way, lessens the responsibility on us to be careful in use of water.

It’s important that Pakistan starts planning for the future by not only conserving water but also creating ways to preserve it, more and more, trees should be planted as they will cause more rainfall. Tree planting campaigns can be held out by schools, offices and multinational companies in their CSR programs.

Nestle has taken commendable initiatives in this regard. The government needs to build more dams and this will not only help out with water storage but will also produce hydroelectricity, flood control and drought alleviation. All these measures and endeavours ought to be started simultaneously and on war footing to ward off catastrophic situation that could arise very soon.