'Himalayan towns facing increased water insecurity'

Report reflects water demand and supply gap in eight of the surveyed towns is 20 to 70 per cent

PESHAWAR: The Himalayan towns are facing increased water insecurity in the wake inadequate urban planning coupled with a rapidly changing climate, warns a new recent study.

The Kathmandu-based International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) conducted the study covering 13 towns across four countries –Pakistan, India, Nepal and Bangladesh– in the Hindukush Himalayan region.

The study showed that inter linkages of water availability, water supply systems, rapid urbanisation and consequent increase in water demand– daily and seasonal– are leading to increasing water insecurity in towns in the Hindukush region.

The water insecurity is attributed to poor water governance, lack of urban planning, poor tourism management during peak season and climate-related risks and challenges.

The study, published in The Journal Water Policy, also shows that communities are coping through short-term strategies such as groundwater extraction which is proving to be unsustainable. There is a lack of long-term strategies for water sustainability in urban centers, and this required special attention of planners and local governments.

Based on the findings of the Hi-Aware Research Project undertaken by the ICIMOD and partner organisations, the study suggested that urbanisation has pulled people from rural areas in the Hindukush Himalayan region into nearby urban centers.

Although only three per cent of the total Hindukush Himalaya region population lives in larger cities and eight per cent in smaller towns, projections showed that more than 50 per cent of the population will be living in cities by the year 2050. This will naturally place tremendous stress on water resources.  The study reflects that water demand–supply gap in eight of the surveyed towns is 20 to 70 per cent. There is a high dependence on springs– ranging between 50 per cent and 100 per cent– for water supply in three-fourths of the urban areas.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 4^th, 2020.