‘Toxic water behind 50% fatalities in Punjab’
Excessive use of groundwater affects quality of water, increasing threat of diseases manifold
A representational image. PHOTO: REUTERS
LAHORE:
Punjab Governor Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar has said around half of the population visits hospitals because of consumption of unsafe water and nearly 50% of deaths were caused owing to consumption of contaminated water.
He was speaking to the media persons at a function organised by a charity organisation Baitul Fazal on Sunday.
The Punjab Aab-e-Pak Authority, with support of charity organisations and philanthropists, has announced it will install 25 new water filtration plants, besides making non-functional water filtration plants operational across Punjab.
The governor highlighted that Sarwar Foundation and Al-Khair Foundation had committed to installing 16 new water filtration plants. In addition, a renowned businessman Gohar Ejaz and his associates had committed to donating nine water filtration plants.
He said the installation of 25 new water filtration plants would be a good start because the availability of clean drinking water was one of the most critical issues in Pakistan. Ejaz and other business leaders had also committed to making 70 non-functional water filtration plants in Lahore operational on an immediate basis, he highlighted.
“Around half of the population visit hospitals owing to consumption of unsafe water. Nearly, 50% of deaths are being caused owing to unsafe water consumption,” the governor said.
“It is my passion to ensure the availability of clean drinking water to the masses. I assumed the charge of Punjab governor with an aim to ensure the availability of clean drinking water to the entire population of Punjab.”
Sarwar highlighted that the authority had been constituted and the Punjab Aab-e-Pak Authority’s district committees had been formed. The authority had also completed water mapping of the province to estimate the actual need for water filtration plants. The newly constituted authority had complete data of functional water filtration plants and water schemes. The authority would efficiently and effectively start working on provision of clean drinking water to people of Punjab from the year 2020.
He said the authority would give preference to the poor neighbourhoods for installing water filtration plants, where people had little purchasing power and cannot afford to buy filtered water for consumption.
“I am hopeful that the government would be able to ensure supply of clean drinking water across Punjab during the current term,” he maintained. Studies have blamed rapid population growth and mass urbanisation for deterioration of water quality across the country. The reports also revealed that only 20% of the whole population of Pakistan has access to safe drinking water.
The remaining 80% of the population was forced to use unsafe drinking water due to the scarcity of safe and healthy drinking water sources.
Studies have found out that the primary source of contamination was sewerage (faecal) which was extensively discharged into drinking water system supplies. The secondary source of pollution is the disposal of toxic chemicals from industrial effluents, pesticides and fertilisers from agriculture sources into the water bodies.
Anthropogenic activities cause waterborne diseases that constitute about 80% of all diseases and are responsible for 33% of the deaths. Studies underscore the immediate need for protective measures and treatment technologies to overcome the unhygienic condition of drinking water supplies in different areas of Pakistan.
A recent study pointed out that per capita water availability in Pakistan has dropped drastically during the last 50 years. Groundwater is the main source of water for drinking and industrial uses. This increased pressure on groundwater has lowered the water table in many cities. It is reported that the water table has dropped by more than thrice in many cities. This excessive use of groundwater has seriously affected the quality of water and increased the incidences of water-borne diseases many folds.
A recent water quality study has shown that out of 560,000 tube wells of Indus Basin, about 70% are pumping sodic water. This situation is being further aggravated due to changes in climate and rainfall patterns.
The study highlighted that the collected water samples were analysed for aesthetic, chemical and bacteriological parameters to determine their suitability for agricultural, domestic and industrial uses. The results of the study indicated serious contamination in many cities. Excessive levels of arsenic, fluoride and sodium have been detected in many cities.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 30th, 2019.
Punjab Governor Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar has said around half of the population visits hospitals because of consumption of unsafe water and nearly 50% of deaths were caused owing to consumption of contaminated water.
He was speaking to the media persons at a function organised by a charity organisation Baitul Fazal on Sunday.
The Punjab Aab-e-Pak Authority, with support of charity organisations and philanthropists, has announced it will install 25 new water filtration plants, besides making non-functional water filtration plants operational across Punjab.
The governor highlighted that Sarwar Foundation and Al-Khair Foundation had committed to installing 16 new water filtration plants. In addition, a renowned businessman Gohar Ejaz and his associates had committed to donating nine water filtration plants.
He said the installation of 25 new water filtration plants would be a good start because the availability of clean drinking water was one of the most critical issues in Pakistan. Ejaz and other business leaders had also committed to making 70 non-functional water filtration plants in Lahore operational on an immediate basis, he highlighted.
“Around half of the population visit hospitals owing to consumption of unsafe water. Nearly, 50% of deaths are being caused owing to unsafe water consumption,” the governor said.
“It is my passion to ensure the availability of clean drinking water to the masses. I assumed the charge of Punjab governor with an aim to ensure the availability of clean drinking water to the entire population of Punjab.”
Sarwar highlighted that the authority had been constituted and the Punjab Aab-e-Pak Authority’s district committees had been formed. The authority had also completed water mapping of the province to estimate the actual need for water filtration plants. The newly constituted authority had complete data of functional water filtration plants and water schemes. The authority would efficiently and effectively start working on provision of clean drinking water to people of Punjab from the year 2020.
He said the authority would give preference to the poor neighbourhoods for installing water filtration plants, where people had little purchasing power and cannot afford to buy filtered water for consumption.
“I am hopeful that the government would be able to ensure supply of clean drinking water across Punjab during the current term,” he maintained. Studies have blamed rapid population growth and mass urbanisation for deterioration of water quality across the country. The reports also revealed that only 20% of the whole population of Pakistan has access to safe drinking water.
The remaining 80% of the population was forced to use unsafe drinking water due to the scarcity of safe and healthy drinking water sources.
Studies have found out that the primary source of contamination was sewerage (faecal) which was extensively discharged into drinking water system supplies. The secondary source of pollution is the disposal of toxic chemicals from industrial effluents, pesticides and fertilisers from agriculture sources into the water bodies.
Anthropogenic activities cause waterborne diseases that constitute about 80% of all diseases and are responsible for 33% of the deaths. Studies underscore the immediate need for protective measures and treatment technologies to overcome the unhygienic condition of drinking water supplies in different areas of Pakistan.
A recent study pointed out that per capita water availability in Pakistan has dropped drastically during the last 50 years. Groundwater is the main source of water for drinking and industrial uses. This increased pressure on groundwater has lowered the water table in many cities. It is reported that the water table has dropped by more than thrice in many cities. This excessive use of groundwater has seriously affected the quality of water and increased the incidences of water-borne diseases many folds.
A recent water quality study has shown that out of 560,000 tube wells of Indus Basin, about 70% are pumping sodic water. This situation is being further aggravated due to changes in climate and rainfall patterns.
The study highlighted that the collected water samples were analysed for aesthetic, chemical and bacteriological parameters to determine their suitability for agricultural, domestic and industrial uses. The results of the study indicated serious contamination in many cities. Excessive levels of arsenic, fluoride and sodium have been detected in many cities.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 30th, 2019.