Stephen Cohen
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http://dailytimes.com.pk/editorial/07-Feb-17/looming--water-crisis-
Looming water crisis
Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) has warned that the country may run dry by 2025 if the authorities did not take an immediate action. The looming water crisis deserves the immediate attention of the government. Groundwater supplies are depleting at 16-55 centimetres (6-21 inches) a year, according to a study carried out by the International Waterlogging and Salinity Research Institute (IWASRI), part of WAPDA. The study says about 145 million acre feet of water flows through Pakistan each year, but the country’s existing storage capacity is only 14 million acre feet, meaning it can only store enough water to last 30 days. The international standard is 120 days. The water shortage is forcing many farmers in Punjab and some parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to abandon cultivation due to the high fuel cost of watering their land. This is an alarming situation for Pakistan, where more than 50 percent of the population is food insecure.
There are certain factors responsible for the crisis. After the Indus Water Treaty signed in 1960 by India and Pakistan, the rights over the eastern and western rivers were divided between both countries. According to the Treaty, the Ravi, Beas and Sutlej were allocated to India. Similarly, Pakistan was given the western rivers, Jhelum, Chenab and Indus. Due to controversies over the building of the Kalabagh Dam on the River Indus, the government has turned to the construction of the Bhasha-Diamer Dam, which too is not entirely free of disputes between upper and lower riparian provinces. Securing funding is not an easy task for such a big project due to its effects on the environment and high cost. The looming water crisis is also a result of climate change that is responsible for the shrinking of the glaciers of the Himalayas — the biggest reservoir of fresh water in the world. Faulty downstream management leads to further wastage. Though seepage replenishes the aquifer, it also reduces water availability. Traditional irrigation methods add to water woes. Instead of using water as per the seasonal crop demand, farmers are in the habit of inundating fields, which causes a lot of water wastage. The most effective and modern irrigation drip sprinkler system is not common. The government needs to build small water storage structures to recharge groundwater. Collecting rainwater to recharge the aquifer is also a good option. Farmers should be imparted awareness on how to more efficiently use limited water to boost food production while conserving water sources. The government should take the latest warning about water scarcity seriously and start efforts for preserving water for our present and future needs.
It is very troubling news that the federal government has miserably failed in formulating a water policy for the country that could be acceptable to all provinces. There is a need to pay attention to water development and management. There are vast arid lands in Balochistan and Thar that depend on rainwater only. The government should pay attention to the water needs of these areas and employ innovative methods that can help ward off scarcity and severe droughts. New reservoirs must be built in areas that are hit by flash floods every year. It is time for the government to recognise its responsibilities and start taking steps in the right direction. A consensus must be built for the formulation of a proper water policy that could help ward off imminent water crisis. *
Looming water crisis
Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) has warned that the country may run dry by 2025 if the authorities did not take an immediate action. The looming water crisis deserves the immediate attention of the government. Groundwater supplies are depleting at 16-55 centimetres (6-21 inches) a year, according to a study carried out by the International Waterlogging and Salinity Research Institute (IWASRI), part of WAPDA. The study says about 145 million acre feet of water flows through Pakistan each year, but the country’s existing storage capacity is only 14 million acre feet, meaning it can only store enough water to last 30 days. The international standard is 120 days. The water shortage is forcing many farmers in Punjab and some parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to abandon cultivation due to the high fuel cost of watering their land. This is an alarming situation for Pakistan, where more than 50 percent of the population is food insecure.
There are certain factors responsible for the crisis. After the Indus Water Treaty signed in 1960 by India and Pakistan, the rights over the eastern and western rivers were divided between both countries. According to the Treaty, the Ravi, Beas and Sutlej were allocated to India. Similarly, Pakistan was given the western rivers, Jhelum, Chenab and Indus. Due to controversies over the building of the Kalabagh Dam on the River Indus, the government has turned to the construction of the Bhasha-Diamer Dam, which too is not entirely free of disputes between upper and lower riparian provinces. Securing funding is not an easy task for such a big project due to its effects on the environment and high cost. The looming water crisis is also a result of climate change that is responsible for the shrinking of the glaciers of the Himalayas — the biggest reservoir of fresh water in the world. Faulty downstream management leads to further wastage. Though seepage replenishes the aquifer, it also reduces water availability. Traditional irrigation methods add to water woes. Instead of using water as per the seasonal crop demand, farmers are in the habit of inundating fields, which causes a lot of water wastage. The most effective and modern irrigation drip sprinkler system is not common. The government needs to build small water storage structures to recharge groundwater. Collecting rainwater to recharge the aquifer is also a good option. Farmers should be imparted awareness on how to more efficiently use limited water to boost food production while conserving water sources. The government should take the latest warning about water scarcity seriously and start efforts for preserving water for our present and future needs.
It is very troubling news that the federal government has miserably failed in formulating a water policy for the country that could be acceptable to all provinces. There is a need to pay attention to water development and management. There are vast arid lands in Balochistan and Thar that depend on rainwater only. The government should pay attention to the water needs of these areas and employ innovative methods that can help ward off scarcity and severe droughts. New reservoirs must be built in areas that are hit by flash floods every year. It is time for the government to recognise its responsibilities and start taking steps in the right direction. A consensus must be built for the formulation of a proper water policy that could help ward off imminent water crisis. *
