A wake-up call

Pakistan is in the middle of a water crisis. Big cities like Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad are also facing an acute shortage of water. The government is in part responsible for this crisis. The country doesn’t have enough water reservoirs that can store rainwater. As a result, when it rains, the rainwater is wasted away instead of being stored for use during periods of extreme heat. The water is left to evaporate or flow into lakes or the ocean, rather than be put to use – for example, to support agriculture and industry, supply drinking water to both humans and the wildlife, generate power and provide recreation. There is a dire need to bridge this gap. It is the need of the hour to devise innovative tools, technologies and practices to collect and store floodwater. Doing so can help Pakistan meet its food security needs. Rain water tanks may also be built in both public and private sector offices so that they can use the water for front yard and outdoor water fountains, also for gardening and other productive purposes. To prevent drought and food security, it is essential to make the best use of available water resources.

Hashim Abro

Islamabad