WAPDA chairman laments decline in water availability

Says authority working on 10 mega projects for energy security

LAHORE:

The per capita water availability in the country has dropped to an alarming level of 908 cubic metre per annum which has added Pakistan to the list of water-scarce countries, said Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) Chairman Muzammil Hussain.

Giving a briefing to a delegation of PAF Air War College, Karachi on Monday, he said that the per capita water availability had stood at 5,650 cubic metres in 1951.

Highlighting the present state of water and hydropower in Pakistan, he stressed that water security was an integral part of country’s national security.

He informed the participants that Wapda was constructing nearly 10 mega projects including Diamer-Bhasha Dam, Mohmand Dam, Dasu Hydropower Project, Kurram Tangi Dam and Nai Gaj Dam. The aim of the schemes is to help ensure water, food and energy security of Pakistan, he said.

“Pakistan can store only 10% of its annual river flows against the global average of 40%,” he said. “We have merely 30 days carry over capacity of water in comparison to 170 days of India, 700 days of Egypt and 900 days of US,” he expressed concern.

He underlined the need to enhance the carry over water storage capacity from 30 days to 120 days.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, February 22^nd, 2022.

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