Rawalpindi’s natural resources destroyed

Islamabad :The random development of Rawalpindi has ruined natural resources like water, air, and soil. The localities on Airport Link Road are facing severe shortage of water as the underground water has further sunk. Environmental pollution has reached alarming levels in the last two decades.

"Failure of infrastructure to keep pace with the development of the city has caused city's slide. I have seen the city's development throughout the last four decades. During that period of development, unfortunately water supply, sanitation and transport have not been able to keep up with the rapid urbanization," says Shabbir Hussain, a retiree from the finance ministry.

"I think the city folk's casual attitude and the authorities' lackluster response has been instrumental in the city reaching the present situation. I have been living in this city since my birth and have seen it evolve from a serene city into an unhealthy city. The city some decades ago in the 1960's and 1970's was by and large a clean and neat city with minimal pollution. But now all of that has gone," says Masroor Zulfiqar Ali, who lives near Babu Mohallah, Saddar.

Ali Murtaza, who lives in R. A. Bazaar, says, "Yes, the city seems to have fallen by the wayside. The civic sense is at its worst. People in the city have poor sense of affinity for the environment. The problem seems to be incurable. The mindset needs to be changed."

"There is irresponsible digging by numerous agencies without proper approval from the concerned authority. It looks as if the officials neither have the capability nor the will to coordinate activities like road digging, etc.

Also, roads are laid and re-laid umpteen times with the end result the roads develop uneven surface all along. The mud and stones that are dug up on occasions are simply dumped by the wayside or on the footpaths and are not cleared for days put together," says Mohib Hussain from Satellite Town.

Rajab Ali, a trader, who lives on Jamia Masjid Road, says, "Manholes are opened up, left uncovered for days, with just a few rocks put around its border.

Later, even if the covers are put back, are done shabbily, half-covered and protruding dangerously. The digging sign-board highlighting the work, are just kept aside on the footpath or on the road itself. "The level of the manholes never matches the level of the roads. The people concerned seem to have learnt no lessons from the past when such shameless manhole openings caused deaths of innocents," says Nemat Ali.

"Rawalindi people in general lack civic character and a feeling of pride. They undo what we do for them in good faith," says Mujtaba Hasan, a TMA official."

Our correspondent adds: There is a need to increase the green spaces, control the deforestation, reduce use of motor vehicles and build small dams for proper storage of water to combat the negative impacts of the climate change in the capital city.

According to a report compiled by the Institute of Geographical Information System, the impacts of the climate change would directly affect the lives of the people living in the capital city as the intensity and frequency of the extreme events would increase in the coming years.

The research report showed that in 2031-2040 minimum temperature of Islamabad would be 16.04 ( C), maximum temperature 27.62 ( C) and solar radiation would be 16.74 MJ/m2. In 2041-2050 minimum temperature would be 16.33 ( C), maximum temperature 27.99 ( C) and solar radiation would be 16.79 MJ/m2. In 2051-2060 minimum temperature would be 16.62 ( C), maximum temperature 28.27 and solar radiation would be 16.80 MJ/m2.

The adverse effects of the climate change in Islamabad would include more warmer days and fewer cold days and nights; increasing frequency of heat waves and shortage of rainfall and extreme precipitation events.

Islamabad receives fresh water from different lakes because ground water does not meet the requirements of the local people.

The severe climatic conditions particularly drought would affect the water supply system in Islamabad. Extreme weather events would also create new health hazards like dengue fever, malaria, cholera, diarrhea and other diseases.

The report stated change in temperature, precipitation and humidity would also cause water-borne diseases, adding “Reduction in cold-weather stresses in the winter would also adversely affect the health of the residents.”