Water crisis in our country is worsening by the day and we need to take quick action
TURBAT, BALOCHISTAN: March 22 marks the World Water Day which aims to raise awareness among people about the importance of freshwater and sustainable methods to manage it.
The water crisis in our country is worsening by the day and we need to take quick action. We should create awareness regarding conserving freshwater and utilising all our available sources. This includes government policies devising plans to conserve excess rainwater and floodwater.
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan saw an excess of rainfall and snow this year which resulted in devastating floods. This could have been prevented if we had small dams and barrages in the region to store and direct the access water away from the main land.
An effective policy would have prevented the immense material losses people faced, and also allowed us to retain the excess water for use during the dry months.
Other than this, the few freshwater sources currently available are highly polluted, leading to the development of different diseases like polio amongst the people. Stagnant water becomes a breeding ground for mosquitoes that cause dengue fever. The lack of healthcare facilities and resources among the people of Turbat has resulted in many deaths due to the disease.
We should use this Day to raise awareness regarding conservation of freshwater and implement healthy practices to prevent water-borne diseases for a healthy population.
Adnan Maqsood
Published in The Express Tribune, March 22nd, 2019.
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