Sustainable water management system stressed for effective ecosystem

Islamabad: Riphah Institute of Public Policy a constituent institute of Riphah International University Islamabad in collaboration with Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources, ICIMOD, ECOSF, CCRD and UNESCO organised a ‘World Water Day’ at PCRWR Headquarters Islamabad here on Wednesday.

The event provided a platform for exchange of experiences and dialogue to address water issues. A poster competition on water conservation, wastewater management was also organised in which students presented their research work on the said topics.

Decision-makers, water experts, students, institutions, community members and youth jointly stressed the need of maintaining sustainable water management for an effective ecosystem. Speaking at the occasion Dr. Muhammad Ashraf, Chairman, PCRWR, Lt. General Omar Mahmood Hayat, Chairman, NDMA, Mr. Hassan Muhammad Khan, Chancellor, Riphah International University, Mahmood Akhtar Cheema, Country Representative, IUCN, Dr. Abdul Majid, Country Representative, ICARDA, Ms. Vibeke Jensen, Director, UNESCO Islamabad, Khalil Raza ECOSF Mr. Ahmed Kamal, Chairman, FFC Dr. Abdul Wahid Jasra, Country Representative, ICIMOD Dr. Ghulam Rasool, DG, PMD said that ‘Nature for Water’ provides an important opportunity of exploring nature based solutions for various water challenges.

Water is not only a life sustaining resource but also accounted for social well-being and economic prosperity. It plays an important role in managing healthy ecosystem. Besides the fact that plenty of water is found on the surface of earth, only 2.5 per cent is available as freshwater. The floods and droughts are considered as major water challenges for 21st century globally. The phenomenon like global warming and climate change further aggravates towards the severity of these challenges.