link- Water experts, on Friday, emphasized to control the population growth andeffectively implement laws related to efficient use of water to avoidscarcity in future.
This was discussed during a dialogue session, titled, “Water Trends,Challenges and Sustainable Strategy for its Security,” convened atUS-Pakistan Center for Advanced Studies in Water (USPCAS-W), MehranUniversity of Engineering and Technology (MUET), Jamshoro. The session washeld in collaboration with Government of Sindh; The Asia Foundation;Australian Government; Water Environment Forum and Hashoo Foundation.
While addressing the inaugural session, Water Environment Forum Chairmanand former federal minister Nisar A Memon said, “Once upon a time, Indusriver was a mighty river but now it’s no more the same, the problem is ofmanagement because we have 7250 glaciers melting to provide water but thereis no proper mechanism to manage them.
Experts call water matter of life and death
Memon added that accountability remained a major issue and he had neverseen such a case in which someone was punished for forcefully using waterover and above their share. He further noted that water was a matter oflife and death, and we must stop politicising this sensitive issue.
We should struggle for its security, the chairman maintained.
MUET Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Muhammad Aslam Uqaili was of the view that asan academician, we believed in reliable data for any water-related problemin the country and USPCAS-W was performing exceptionally well to augmentthis need while suggesting workable solutions to the government and otherrelated organisations.
He continued that the key problem remained the implementation of laws andpolicies as well as improved water governance.
Every individual has to fulfil its own responsibility in conserving andmanaging the water resources, Prof Uqaili remarked.
Asia Foundation Program Director Farid Alam noted that Pakistan was amongstthe 36 most water-scarce countries while experts had indicated that thecountry would run out of the water by 2025.
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He said that the rise in population and climate change were both badlyaffecting the availability of water in the region and the issue must bedebated to find a sustainable solution.
Pakistan Metrological Department Director-General Dr Riaz Khan said thatrain was the main source of water in Pakistan and Sindh was arain-deficient province.
USPCAS-W Project Director Dr Bakhshal Lashari informed that by now, round1.3 million tube wells had been installed in the country to extract about50 million acres feet of water, including brackish water, which was addingto surface salinity.
He said that the transboundary water dispute was badly affecting regionalwater security. If Kishan Ganga and Baghliar Dams were built by theneighbouring country, it would further aggravate the water securitysituation in the country.
Former WAPDA Chairman Syed Raghib Shah asserted that the misuse oftechnology was affecting water management in the country.
International Water Management Institute (IWMI) Head and PrincipalResearcher Dr Arif Anwar emphasized upon the rational allocation of wateravailable for agriculture, industry and services for uplift and growth ofthe country’s economy.
Other technical panel discussions featured UAF Focal person (CAS-AFS) DrAshfaque Ahmed Chatta, Environmental Expert Mustafa Ujjan, Water SpecialistDr Zaigham Habib, Progressive Farmer Syed Mahmood Nawaz Shah, Dr KamranAnsari and Hashoo Foundation Country Director Ayesha Khan.
