Wasted water

Pakistan’s water crisis has been receiving more attention than usual in the past few months, with the crowdfunding effort initiated by the former chief justice to construct dams bringing much-needed focus to this existential issue. But the debate has centred mostly on increasing the supply of water without considering how best to use the country’s existing water resources. A recent report from the World Bank puts into perspective the massive wastage of water in the country and shows how the absence of a coherent national water policy may be the biggest driver of the crisis. According to the report, agriculture consumes more than 80 percent of water yet contributes less than five percent of GDP. While no one would deny that agriculture is still an important part of our economy and that it certainly needs more water resources than the industrial and services sectors, there is much scope for improvement in how water for irrigation is distributed. Currently, water is apportioned by the size of land holdings rather than need. Thus, landowners cultivating crops that are not as water-intensive will still receive the same amount of water as those who actually need it to irrigate their crops.Pakistan’s water wastage has ramifications on our security that go beyond the economic effects of poor distribution. Coincidentally, as the World Bank report was released, a delegation from Pakistan went to India to inspect dams being constructed on the Chenab River and also to discuss the Indus Waters Treaty. Pakistan is also currently seeking the intervention of the International Court of Arbitration over India’s construction of dams, arguing that it infringes on our water rights. The Indus Waters Treaty, however, allows India to divert some water from these rivers if they have a genuine need. They could successfully argue that Pakistan’s poor use of water means the country actually doesn’t need the extra water it is demanding.Clearly there needs to be an emphasis on water management in the country. The last government had devised a National Water Policy that focused on conservation and called for the formation of a national water council. But it did not follow through on its proposals and there has been no action from the new government either. A water conservation bill is still awaiting approval from the Ministry of Science and Technology. The lethargy is inexplicable. Research by the Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources and the United Nations Development Programme has found that Pakistan could run dry by the year 2025. The severity of the problem is matched only by the apathy of the state.

from The News International - Editorial http://bit.ly/2BaIjHo