WHENEVER there are rains or floods in the country, the topic of dam construction resurfaces.
But as soon as the season passes, excuses and delays come into play and we all forget about the situation and get busy with our personal issues. Then, when the new year comes and we face the same situation again, the same discussions are repeated.
In Pakistan, on one hand, there is a severe shortage of water, so much so that even in this modern era, people are forced to drink water from ponds, pools, canals and streams. On the other hand, water is being wasted recklessly. Not only are we unable to manage rain and river water properly, but we are also wasting underground water, waterfalls and spring water mercilessly. If we could store melting glaciers and rainwater, we could overcome the water short-age.
Today, the global economy revolves around water. That’s why, in the field of economics, terms like “Water Economy” are emerging, which essentially mean utilizing water resources for the development of all sectors of the economy. But both our governments and the public have shown a lack of attention toward this issue. Due to the lack of adequate water storage facilities, millions of cubic meters of water go to waste every year, even though Pakistan’s annual per capita water availability is far less than that of developing countries like China, India, Brazil and South Africa. Pakistan’s per capita water storage capacity is 73 cubic meters, whereas in India it is 209 cubic meters, in China it is 416 cubic meters and in Bangladesh (which became independent from Pakistan in 1971), it is 141 cubic meters. In Ethiopia, it is 67 cubic meters. The highest per capita water availability is in Norway, at 8,036 cubic meters. Russia is second on this list, Australia third, Brazil fourth and the USA fifth. China is in the eighth position and India is ninth.
Experts say there is a strong correlation between a country’s water availability and its GDP. Experts warned two decades ago that if dams were not built or storage capacity not increased, Pakistan would face a severe water crisis by 2025. And today, in 2025, that prediction has turned out to be entirely accurate: Pakistan is now facing an acute water crisis.
Climate change, poor water management and a lack of political will have made this issue even more severe. Global warming has intensified due to climate change. Heatwaves and droughts in Pakistan are a result of environmental shifts. It has become apparent in recent years that forecasting the monsoon season has become difficult and winter has become shorter in many areas of the country.
According to IRSA (Indus River System Authority), Pakistan’s two major water reservoirs—Mangla and Tarbela—can only store water sufficient for 30 days of use, while India can store enough for 100 days. Pakistan has only 185 water reservoirs, whereas India has 5,000 and China has 84,000 dams.
According to Michael Kugelman, a South Asian affairs expert, Pakistan’s water crisis is partly man-made. He stated that Pakistani leaders and stakeholders must take responsibility to tackle this challenge and demonstrate political will. Kugelman emphasized that merely shift-ing blame won’t solve the problem. A solid water management system is essential to over-come the water crisis.
—The writer is contributing columnist, based in Faisalabad.
