A need, a right and a necessity in order for society to progress further
KARACHI: “My children are sick because of contaminated water.”
“When we get water we do not get electricity, and when we get electricity we do not get sufficient water.”
“We are not taken seriously when we complain.”
These cries by Naseema and Nusrat of Orangi Town are voiced every hour by millions of desperate citizens in Karachi and Sindh. We are a group of Class 9 students at Karachi Grammar School writing to you about the major water crisis our country is facing and will continue to face when we grow up if nothing is done about it. After conducting interviews and research, we have some suggestions we would like to present.
We understand it may not be easy to bring immediate change on a big scale but small steps will lead to change in the mindset of those who take water for granted.
Water is both short in supply and wasted. We think a major reason for this is because the methods of conservation and generation of water through ground water, grey water and desalination plants, which can purify water to make it fit for gardening and for drinking, are not being implemented. The sea should be taken advantage of through desalination plants, purifying brackish water.
Some citizens believe that purified recycled and ground water is dirty. You must stress how recycled water is not dirty water and take actions to install and improve water recycling systems. Purified recycled water is deemed clean by scientists.
Better measures should be taken to ensure that water is supplied through pipes to localities that may not be affluent. All religions encourage equality and so water should be supplied not only to homes of rich but to all.
Funds are needed for this, and for the funds you can tax rich citizens and increase funding for projects working towards purifying water, like the World Wide Fund for Nature-Pakistan water stewardship programme.
There is a dire need for installation of groundwater and Reverse Osmosis plants in rural and urban areas where water is unavailable. This would prove to be beneficial to the community. Water should be conserved and recycling water is no longer a choice — it is a need.
Though these plants are expensive, they will benefit the community immensely. It is time to take action because it is now or never. Water conservation is a need, a right and a necessity in order for society to progress further.
Shahzain Danish
Published in The Express Tribune, February 2nd, 2019.
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