Water crunch

Pakistan’s water crisis is not new. It is a perennial issue that affects every part and person across the country. Despite being a water-intensive economy, we have allowed the scarcity of water to mature into a crisis that can effectively jeopardise every aspect of life across the country. The worsening water crisis has also gripped our largest city — Karachi — which has forever struggled with water shortage.

While massive population growth and urbanisation have been named as the main culprits for the metropolis’s water woes, authorities have neglected plummeting levels at Keenjhar Lake — a major source of water supply for both Karachi and Thatta district. Supplies to Thatta have already taken a hit. The tail-end areas of the district have been experiencing a drought-like situation since the water level started descending. Dipping water levels are expected to cause a further decrease in the usual supply to Karachi in the days to come. With temperatures expected to rise in the future and longer sweltering summers expected ahead, can we as a nation afford the scarcity of such an important natural resource? Unfortunately, authorities at federal and provincial levels have failed to take serious measures to address the increasing storage of water. The matter can no longer be ignored. According to a report by the Washington-based International Monetary Fund, Pakistan ranks third on the list of countries facing a severe water crunch. While more reservoirs and dams may be a part of the solution, they are just one part. We are in dire need to diversify water resources and conserve this natural resource to ensure it is equally available across the country. Hence, now more than ever before, we need a national integrated approach to water resource management that prioritises conservation and sustainable water usage to prevent the scarcity of the most vital natural resource.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 17^th, 2018.

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