Drawing from others to resolve Pakistan’s water woes
Speakers at the conference suggest ways to help overcome water scarcity
Speakers at the conference suggest ways to help overcome water scarcity. PHOTO: AFP
KARACHI:
Water scarcity is a burgeoning problem that deserves the attention of the Pakistani government and its populace. The right to water is something that the government should extend to all its citizens, without discrimination. But the country is failing to accommodate the needs of its rural populace, especially Thar.
Hisaar Foundation organised the International Water Conference 'Securing Sustainable Water for all-Inclusion, Integration, Innovation' at Movenpick Hotel on Tuesday.
Dire straits: ‘Water scarcity must top govt’s agenda’
The aim of the event was to suggest alternative ways to overcome water scarcity.
Speaking about the Indus Basin, Hisaar Foundation founder Simi Kamal counted the factors that have caused the degradation of the basin, such as increased saline intrusions, waterlogging, pollution and changes in water tables. She lamented that over the years, no step has been taken to address these factors. "Ways of farming remain the same along with the historical rights to water for farmers," she said.
Kamal shared the model of Murray Darling Basin to draw a comparison of how similar problems were dealt in Australia. Referring to Murray Darling Basin as the Sindh of Australia, Kamal said that measures were taken to divert water flow towards Southern Australia. "This was the minimum flow that it would always receive and additional flow would be consumed for the maintenance of the system," she said.
Why Pakistan will soon become a water scarce country
Similar models can be adopted by Pakistan to deal with similar issues of upstream and downstream divisions, she suggested.
In another session, titled 'Rural and Urban Models of Innovation,' sustainable models for water utilisation were discussed.
Experts from Sukaar Foundation proposed a water security plan for Tharparkar in which mapping of available resources and recommendation of appropriate technologies could help overcome water scarcity.
Pakistan could become region's most water-stressed country by 2040: report
It was also revealed that the ground water is the only source of water in the majority of rural villages of Tharparkar.
But most of that water is brackish with high fluorides (13PPM as opposed to normal 1PPM levels) and high quantities of dissolved solvent, over 5000milligrams per litre.
Lahore University of Management Sciences associate professor, Dr Abubakr Muhammad, spoke about the need of automation in farming. "Among many revolutions we missed is the Precision Agriculture Revolution of 1990. It brought techniques such as adopting satellite imagery to modulating fertilisers," he said.
Rapid groundwater depletion threatens Pakistan food security: officials
He also emphasised on how the popular drone technology can benefit the agriculture sector in Pakistan. "It can facilitate aerial mapping of irrigation and monitoring of channels among many other things," he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 18th, 2015.
Water scarcity is a burgeoning problem that deserves the attention of the Pakistani government and its populace. The right to water is something that the government should extend to all its citizens, without discrimination. But the country is failing to accommodate the needs of its rural populace, especially Thar.
Hisaar Foundation organised the International Water Conference 'Securing Sustainable Water for all-Inclusion, Integration, Innovation' at Movenpick Hotel on Tuesday.
Dire straits: ‘Water scarcity must top govt’s agenda’
The aim of the event was to suggest alternative ways to overcome water scarcity.
Speaking about the Indus Basin, Hisaar Foundation founder Simi Kamal counted the factors that have caused the degradation of the basin, such as increased saline intrusions, waterlogging, pollution and changes in water tables. She lamented that over the years, no step has been taken to address these factors. "Ways of farming remain the same along with the historical rights to water for farmers," she said.
Kamal shared the model of Murray Darling Basin to draw a comparison of how similar problems were dealt in Australia. Referring to Murray Darling Basin as the Sindh of Australia, Kamal said that measures were taken to divert water flow towards Southern Australia. "This was the minimum flow that it would always receive and additional flow would be consumed for the maintenance of the system," she said.
Why Pakistan will soon become a water scarce country
Similar models can be adopted by Pakistan to deal with similar issues of upstream and downstream divisions, she suggested.
In another session, titled 'Rural and Urban Models of Innovation,' sustainable models for water utilisation were discussed.
Experts from Sukaar Foundation proposed a water security plan for Tharparkar in which mapping of available resources and recommendation of appropriate technologies could help overcome water scarcity.
Pakistan could become region's most water-stressed country by 2040: report
It was also revealed that the ground water is the only source of water in the majority of rural villages of Tharparkar.
But most of that water is brackish with high fluorides (13PPM as opposed to normal 1PPM levels) and high quantities of dissolved solvent, over 5000milligrams per litre.
Lahore University of Management Sciences associate professor, Dr Abubakr Muhammad, spoke about the need of automation in farming. "Among many revolutions we missed is the Precision Agriculture Revolution of 1990. It brought techniques such as adopting satellite imagery to modulating fertilisers," he said.
Rapid groundwater depletion threatens Pakistan food security: officials
He also emphasised on how the popular drone technology can benefit the agriculture sector in Pakistan. "It can facilitate aerial mapping of irrigation and monitoring of channels among many other things," he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 18th, 2015.