KARACHI:
Drought-like conditions that occur during the first six months of the year have greatly intensified. As a result, Kharif crops are in grave danger. If such dry conditions persist, crops will be destroyed. Inadequate rainfall is likely to cause a severe shortage of water for drinking as well as for irrigation purposes, especially in Punjab and Sindh.
The situation will once again expose the lack of planning and foresight of our leadership who have failed to take necessary measures to build dams and preserve water. While we are so desperately hoping for rain, a short spell of heavy rainfall will cause floods because we don’t have enough reservoirs to store and control the flow of water. We somehow believe that it is the nature’s responsibility to ensure that the right amount of rain occurs at the right time for us.
Such a situation demands that we aggressively but carefully initiate dam building projects. Doing so will not only ensure that we have the capacity to store excess water during the monsoon season for dry spells, but will also help in generating economic activity to bring the country back on track. If only our leaders could understand this simple but critical reality. The sooner they do the better. A nation-wide water crisis looms over the country.
Raja Shafaatullah
Islamabad
Published in The Express Tribune, July 15th, 2021.
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