NEARLY half of the country is currently under water.
It seems the homes this nation painstakingly built over the last 75 years are being washed away. This is the most urgent and recent problem, but on the other hand there is India’s water aggression. After suffering defeat in the May confrontation, India first announced its withdrawal from the Indus Waters Treaty; then, when its reservoirs filled because of rains, it released the impounded water — together with the rainwater — as a water bomb upon Pakistan. Earlier, rain and melting glaciers had already caused devastation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir, resulting in hundreds of precious lives lost along with heavy financial damage. As a result, Pakistan — already dealing with economic problems — now faces an added economic burden. The question is: what is the solution to this problem that causes lasting damage to Pakistan?
A simple answer to this question is that the recurring swings between water scarcity and uncontrollable flood torrents repeatedly remind us that Pakistan lacks an effective system to store water. Talks of building large dams are frequent, but unfortunately this issue has become controversial here. Construction of large dams is time-consuming and expensive; in that case, what immediate and alternative solution exists?
According to research by the Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR), small dams can provide an answer to this question. Small dams cannot replace large dams, but they have certain advantages. They are built according to the needs of villages and specific areas. In this way they are compatible with Pakistan’s current political and geographical conditions and offer an immediate, low-cost and effective solution. If work is targeted at a few selected locations, good results can be achieved — for example, Pothohar.
Pothohar is a rain-fed region. It receives ample rainfall, but the water quickly runs off into rivers, leaving the area chronically short of water. If small reservoirs that collect rainwater are constructed here, not only will agriculture improve but the groundwater table will also rise. Experts such as Dr. Pervez Aamir consider this region among the most suitable for harvesting rainwater.
People living in the foothills of the Sulaiman Range know well how sudden flood torrents can destroy settlements. These scenes occur every year, yet we are unable to do anything. If small protective dams were built here, these torrents could be controlled. Not only could lives and crops be saved, but the stored water could later be used for farming and grazing. Reports from the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) have already drawn attention to this. Despite its fertility, the Kohat valley suffers from water shortages. Small dams here could change lives. These reservoirs that irrigate agricultural lands could revive local farming and also become a source of drinking water for local communities. Thus a small project can have large economic effects.
Balochistan’s vast uplands suffer drought due to lack of rainfall. But when it does rain, like in Pothohar the water runs off and is quickly lost. Check dams and reservoirs for storing rainwater are necessary in this region. These dams would help raise the groundwater table and also mitigate drought. The World Bank and the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) have recommended such projects for Balochistan.
The people of Chitral and Gilgit-Baltistan have long faced problems from glacier melt and sudden glacial lake outbursts that form lakes and then burst. In such cases vibrant settlements are suddenly swept away. According to Dr. Ghulam Rasul, a former senior meteorological official, this is the largest challenge in the northern areas. In such regions, small protective dams can mean the difference between life and death. With these dams, not only can sudden torrents be stopped, but water can also be safely stored. Viewing large reservoirs and big dams as long-term projects while focusing on immediate solutions, small dams can be helpful. Experts say small dams offer three major benefits: (i) Immediate local water security. (ii) Improvement in groundwater levels. (iii) Low cost and rapid, measurable results.
Therefore, it is essential that immediate measures be taken targeting Pothohar, Dera Ghazi Khan, Kohat, Balochistan and the Northern Areas. As a result, new water reserves can be created, underground water levels can rise and areas habitually hit by floods can be protected from this danger. United Nations recommendations also support these proposals. In conclusion: Pakistan’s problem is not only that we have little water, but that we do not have system/sense to manage the water we do have. Added to this is India’s deceitful conduct, but if we implement these and similar measures, even flood torrents coming from India can be managed. In this way, not only can the immediate danger from floods be addressed, but water reserves can also be increased.
—This writer is former advisor to the President of Pakistan, author & mass media theorist.
(farooq.adilbhuta@gmail,com)
