Fast declining water resources and water conflicts between the provinces are a topic of concern for the leaders.
Water is one of the reserves of nature and a blessing for human beings. It is the reason for the presence of life on the planet. Unfortunately, the water resources of the world are quickly diminishing. This issue should be considered.
The situation of Pakistan is also not different. To overcome this issue, the construction of new dams has always been postponed due to political differences and lack of allocation of funds. Due to the rapid melting of glaciers, a large amount of water has been lost to the sea due to a lack of storage systems. That is why the problem of water distribution among the provinces in the country has been going on for years but no serious actions have been taken by any government to solve this problem permanently.
None of the government has attempted to address this issue, while allegations of water theft by elected representatives at the provincial level are a sign that we do not have a stable water distribution policy. If any scientifically-based approach had present regarding water management, the dispute over water distribution between the provinces had never arisen. In the past, the debate over water sharing between Sindh and Punjab has escalated recent days. It is a fact that during the rule of Prime Minister Imran Khan, not only the issue of construction of new dams has taken seriously to prevent water loss and increase water reserves, but also the dispute over water distribution between the provinces has also committed to resolving permanently. The Prime Minister wants to consider all provinces concerning the method of water distribution, Government circles say.
The federal government is ready to provide facilities to all the provinces. Imran Khan has declared these ten years as the decade of building new dams. The government is committed to storing 13 million acre-feet of water in the next ten years.
According to government sources, water scarcity in Punjab and Sindh was 45% and 9% respectively during April last year. Punjab is facing 22%, Sindh’s 17% water shortages these days have increased. In Punjab, 2% of the water has risen from Mount Solomon.
On the other hand, the Balochistan government has once again criticized the Sindh government. The Balochistan government has taken a stand that Balochistan should get 7600 cusecs of water from the putt feeder canal, but Sindh had given about 6,000 cusecs of water.
Similarly, 1800 cusecs of water have supplied from the Ker Thar Canal instead of 2400 cusecs. According to the Balochistan government, Sindh had delivered 55% less water in these two canals these days.
Due to water scarcity, standing crops on 76,000 acres in the agricultural areas of Balochistan adjacent to Sindh is in danger of being affected in the current situation, Balochistan government sources said. The Balochistan government has raised the water theft issue with the Sindh government and the Council of Common Interests. What is the decision?
It is crucial to make the formula of water distribution between the provinces fair, Installation of modern equipment for the distribution of water so that the rights of the people of any province has not violated. The online system can provide factual data that is always available. The government should ensure the construction and completion of big dams in every province the agricultural sector of Pakistan can witness improvement. We also need to innovate in the use of water to save water and make the best use of this blessing of God. Due to the non-cleaning of raw pipes, channels, and waterways, a significant amount of water is wasted in crop irrigation. We need to recycle water and install water treatment plants so that water from factories can be utilized and factories water can be recycled and sewage water does not contaminate crops. We need to introduce our farmers to modern irrigation systems so they can grow better crops with less water.
The public should be aware of the significance of preventing water wastage and highlighting its importance so they do not overuse water. We urgently need to increase our water reserves.
According to one estimate, Pakistan has only 30 days of water storage while our neighboring country India can store 190 days of water.
Based on these facts, it is not difficult to estimate if water storage is done on an emergency basis. If policy implementation is not ensured, most parts of the country will have to be prepared for the ravages of famine in the years to come.
