Shortages galore: ‘Insane, unsustainable policies’ behind water crisis, says Senators

ISLAMABAD: The role of public sector departments came under severe criticism as parliamentarians said Pakistan’s worsening water scarcity situation is due to insane and unsustainable policies.

Senator Mir Muhammad Yousaf Badini on Thursday chaired a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Climate Change. The Climate Change secretary and Ministry of Water and Power joint secretary briefed the committee of the effects of climate change and the measures/steps being taken to address them.

The committee discussed the scarcity of water due to climate changes. The parliamentarians observed that water scarcity is being aggravated by climate change and can only be overcome with sustainable cooperation among all federating units, and impartial role of the federal government is a key to success. Though officials of ministry of water and power and ministry of climate change and other painted a very rosy picture of measures being taken by government institutions to cope with climate change and growing population are serious threats for sustainability of water and other natural resources of the country.

Ministry of Water and Power Joint Secretary Syed Muhammad Mehr Ali Shah briefed the committee members that 140 million acre feet (MAF) water was available in river basins nationwide, 104 MAF of which is released into the canal system for irrigation, while 20 to 25 MAF water flows into the sea.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 3^rd, 2017.