There is no denying the impression and it is evident beyond the shred of doubt that life without water on Earth is unimaginable. It is a well-documented fact that water covers approximately 70% of the globe. Unfortunately only 3% can only be used for human consumption. It is a matter of deep sorrow and highly lamentable that the world is plunging into a web of water scarcity due to multiple reasons. Pakistan has also been ranked in the list of severe water shortage countries. According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Pakistan is the third most water scarce country due to which the country is unable to take off economically. It is evident beyond an iota of doubt that as an agrarian economy, water is the lifeblood of Pakistan. According to the Economic Survey of Pakistan (ESP) (2017-18), agriculture contributes 19.4 percent of the country’s total GDP, but if we jump into the annals of history then we find a previous ESP (1999-2000) reveals agriculture’s contribution was 27%.
So, it is highly astonishing that depleting water reserves are explicitly and implicitly affecting the economy of the country. Pakistan Council of Research on Water Resources (PCRWR) warned that th3 country would run out of potable water by 2025. In addition to this, the country crossed the water stress line in 1990 and water scarcity line in 2005. As a result, the masses have been meshed in a web of quandaries.
It is a matter of deep concern that Pakistan’s economy is depicting a very bleak picture and clouds of distress are hovering over it. It is a well-established fact that growth poles of Pakistan’s economy are lying alongside the Indus River but, unfortunately, due to water shortage the country’s economy is compelled in the darkness of obscurity.
It is the need of the hour that people with authority chart out pragmatic measures to avert this crisis by taking measures to build more dams
If we dig deep into the prevailing economic situation it can easily be palpable that by of multipronged reasons country’s economy is put in ventilators and in this scenario water shortage holds a vanguard position. On the one hand, 94 billion USD debts and plummeted 17.65 billion USD foreign exchange reserves have put oil on already fragile economy. On the other hand, 30 billion USD trade deficits and 18 billion USD fiscal deficits have derailed the smooth sailing of the country.
Because water and the economy are intertwined, the situation in Pakistan is marred in gloom and pessimism. This needs some serious attention and contemplation from our policy makers.
So, in this regard the importance of dams have increased manifold to disentangle the nation from the snare of water shortage and economic recession. Tarbela and Mangla are two of our major reservoirs of water but due to siltation their storage capacity has been lost. Due to siltation Tarbela lost 24.6% of its storage capacity while Mangla has lost 13.2%. It is a situation of highly unfortunate that Pakistan can only store water for 30 days while India can store up to 190 days and USA 900 days. According to the Indus River System Authority (IRSA), Pakistan receives around 140 million acre feet of water every year but can save only 13.7 MAF. Pakistan needs 40 million acre feet of water but 29 MAF of its flood water is wasted because of lack of dams.
In a nutshell, it is the need of the hour that people with authority chart out pragmatic measures to avert this crisis and dismantle the nation from the fabric of water shortage and crippling economy and also bring into vogue rational measures for the construction of new dams. It is still not too late to act!
The writer is a Doctor of Pharmacy and has interest in socio, economic, religious, educational and international affairs