Essay:
Water Crisis in Pakistan
Since the beginning of time, all life forms have been dependant on water
for their survival. Human civilizations have also always existed near
Water bodies as they provide fertile land to grow crops. This one
chemical serves many purposes; being used for hydration,
transportation, as well as domestic use.
However, with the rapid growth of the human population along with the
coming of the industrial age, (both of which continue to threaten our
resources and environment) there emerged a new threat to life itself, the
shortage of water .The water crisis refers to the reduction of
consumable, clean water resources in different parts of the world. This is
a huge issue, affecting human consumption, agriculture and disrupting
entire ecosystems. According to the IMF, Pakistan ranks 3 rd in the
countries facing severe water shortage and it is predicated that the
country will be left with little to no water. In fact, per capita water
availability decreased from 5300 cubic metres in 1960 to just 1000 cubic
meters in 2020 and has only continued to fall ever since.
There are many reasons for this water scarcity in Pakistan, most notably,
the rapid population growth and lack of family planning in the country is
leading to increased demand. However this demand is increasing at
such a rate that water levels are unable to be replenished.
Secondly, the use of pumps and tube Wells to extract groundwater for
commercial or home use is exceedingly common in the society. This
over-extraction puts immense strain on the land as well as causing
groundwater levels to drop to such an extent that the land becomes
infertile.
Thirdly, changing precipitation patterns due to climate change are
leading to less rainfall in areas where it can soak into the soil or
replenish the rivers and instead causing urban flooding in others. The
floods that have been hitting Pakistan in the past few years have left half
of the country underwater, leaving only homelessness and destruction in
their wake.
Finally, the lack of dams and other water storage infrastructure as well
as inadequate water management policies are leading to this precious
resource being wasted away instead of reaching areas severely
deprived of it. As of now, only 20 percent of the population has access to
clean water and sanitation, giving rise to a whole host of problems
including increased spread of diseases.
Due to the scarcity of water many sectors of Pakistan’s Industry are
suffering. As an agrarian country, the primary impact of this shortage of
water falls on the agricultural sector, causing food insecurity as well as
industrial losses due to crops dying away.
The shortage of water is also causing a reduction in electricity production
in Pakistan, which is mainly generated through hydroelectric power units
such as dams. This is leading to an energy crisis in the country and
causing strain on small businesses and industries the require electricity
to run. The economic impacts of the water crisis are immense, with
nearly all sectors of the Pakistani industry suffering.
The scarcity of water is also taking its toll on ecosystems, causing
environmental degradation and species to die out due to famine. This is
quickly leading to a loss of biodiversity in many regions of the country.
Despite government taking efforts such as introducing a National Water
Policy in 2018 and regional water management initiatives , there is still a
lot of work to be done In this regard.
It is important that we, the public take actions such as reducing water
wastage in our day to day lives, use energy efficient appliances and
spread awareness through campaigns and programs to help solve
these issues. Steps must also be taken to improve and increase water
storage capacity, improve sanitation infrastructure and invest in water
treatment plants to provide clean water in areas where it is most needed.
The government must also work to enhance groundwater recharge to
save the land from over consumption.
Pakistan’s water crisis requires immediate attention and our collective
efforts to provide new, sustainable solutions to overcome this problem.
As the fight against the deterioration of our planet continues, it is
increasingly important that we educate ourselves and others about
issues such as this so that we may overcome them as a nation and work
to make the land of Pakistan a better home for all to live in.
_ Farheen Sohaib, XII A
