Water pollution
Both air and water, the basic elements on which all life depends, are alarmingly polluted in Lahore, the capital of Punjab province. Research has revealed that 24% residents of Lahore are consuming water contaminated with arsenic, exposing them to grave health hazards. The same research has established that 82% Pakistanis have no access to safe drinking water. Contaminated water kills 1.1 million people, including 250,000 children, every year in the country. Thousands of factories in the Punjab metropolis, many of them set up in congested residential areas, are functioning in violation of environmental laws and laws pertaining to public health as they have not installed water treatment plants to prevent contamination of drinking water. The untreated water discharged from these factories has contaminated ground water in all localities. Worn-out old water pipelines are adding to the problem. Due to these leaking pipelines, drinking water gets mixed up with the untreated water making potable water unfit for consumption. The consumption of toxic water is causing many dangerous diseases.
Unfortunately, the problem has been worsening by the day due to official lethargy. The authorities say they are unable to take strict action against factories violating legal requirements due to shortage of staff in the environment protection department. This lack of manpower, obviously resulting from lack of financial resources, is not going to convince many. People are conversant with the way government departments work. Even officials have admitted that a sizable number of factories are operating without obtaining NOC and factory owners are not taking the issue seriously. What the relevant department is there for, why they are acting as mere spectators when people are contracting dangerous diseases? It is common knowledge what prevents officials from taking action. People have become so used to consuming unsafe water that now they might fall ill if they consumed safe water. Things change with time.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 8th, 2020.
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