Water scarcity in Pakistan
Introduction
- Water crisis in one of pressing issues of Pakistan.
- Human are ecological embedded beings. We breathe air and drink water.
- As per National Annual Plan 2019-20, per capita water availability falls to 935cubic meters from 5260 cubic meters in last 71 years.
- Main causes are burgeoning population, old techniques of agricultural growth, climate change and lack of storage facilities.
- This could result in food shortages and blow to economy of state as pak is an agrarian country.
Challenges:
lack of Media Attention:
- Key existential threat is water scarcity. Water scarcity has direct bearing upon food security of Pakistan, as pakistan has population of 220 million people. pakistan has already crossed 'water stress line' in 1990. it directly affects the livelihood of ppl as pakistan is an agrarian country. Pak has crossed 'water scarcity line' in 2005 and may run out of water by 2025.
being such a critical issue, yet it is least debated and talked about in public through media.
Food Security and Economic Woes:
- Pak is an agrarian state with agriculture contributing to 19% of country's GDP. Agriculture is by far the largest user of water. Pak has one of the best and largest irrigation systems in the world.
Consequently, it has put our food security at risk. Majority of food comes from domestic agriculture. It can result in serious situations where pakistan will be bound to import food and stressing the already fragile economy of Pakistan.
Administrative issues and Lack of Political Will:
- Sustainability of water resources is a challenge and consequence of multiple managerial and administrative factors. Pak ranks Lowest in the world in terms of water storage facilities. National reserves can only uphold 10% of annual water inflows against world's average of 40%.
Mismanagement of water resources, inadequate storage facilities, low water use efficiency, water wastage, inappropriate cropping patterns and antiquated water pricing techniques are main factors which are administrative in nature and require political will to resolve the challenges faced in eradicating water scarcity woes of Pakistan.
Politics over Water:
- Water distribution has turned into a politically strained issue. Since Ppl's livelihood is at stakes, so political parties of respective provinces tread the track with extreme cautions and secrecy is maintained. Inter provincial accord of 1991 has failed its goals of water distribution among provinces. Outdated machinery is being utilized to for real time measurement of water. Data secrecy is big hurdle to manage and plan the future allocations to provinces.
Causes of Water Crisis:
Rapid Population Growth:
- Fifth largest country in world. Housing 220 million ppl. As per reports and extrapolating population growth, demand for water will be 274MAF but supply would be static at 191MAF. Urbanization result in more utilization of water resources due to industrial and commercial reasons. Unavailability of water in metropolitans can already be felt, which is continuously being ignored by political parties of pakistan.
outdated Agricultural techniques:
- Pak farmers grow crops which require plenty of water. Rice, sugarcane, wheat and cotton consume 95% of state's water. Canal system is outdated and water is wasted in enroute to fields. It causes 60% loss of water. Outdated system of growing crops result in lowest water productivity. Media and political parties dont engage ppl and shape their opinions to utilize new techniques of farming.
Climate Change:
- Rainfalls, rivers and glacier melting provide pak with required water supplies. Reduction is water supply is being observed due to global climate change. Rain is seasonal. Climate change is raising temperatures of environment. Raised temperature result in evaporation of water on soil which result in increased demand of water for crops production.
Lack of Storage Facilities:
- Respective Government seems content with erection of dams in 1960's. Rain, flood, river and glacier melting water is wasted as there is only 10% storage capacity of water. Dam construction is a costly endeavor, but govt can build small multi purpose dams to storage as well as electricity purposes which are less burden to economy as well as save crucial supplies of water for Pakistan.
Conclusions and way forward:
- Percentage of Non revenue water(water for which no price is charged to consumers) is 50% in Pak, whereas it is averaged at 10% in the world.
- Water losses be minimized in water courses of irrigation and canal system. Small reservoirs must be erected to increase water storage capacity of Pak.
- political will and charter of water economy must be signed and plans must be met irrespective of any political party in power.
- only 36% of pak population has access to safe water. It result in health issues and menaces like polio and other water borne diseases. Industry must filter its water before dumping it and damaging environment/aquatic life. Smog, depletion of ozone layer and acid rains are risk to health of ppl.
- First ever National Water policy has been signed in 2018. It shows lack of interest of respective govts towards water problems but it must be evolved and practised in true spirit instead of treating it pieces of papers.