Looking for alternatives

This refers to the letter ‘Dam fund’ (Sep 12) by Hafiz Muhammad Junaid. The writer has rightly lauded the initiatives taken by the chief justice and the prime minister for the construction of dams. While the importance of dams can’t be denied, we should keep in mind that dams’ construction is a long-term process. Keeping in view the water scarcity and water-stressed situations in the country, the government ought to consider other alternatives along with the construction of dams.

According to the Indus River System Authority (IRSA) 2017 report, Pakistan dumps water worth approximately $22 billion into the sea each year due to the lack of storage capacity and water conservation system. This loss can be overcome by using the techniques of water-sensitive urban design (WSUD) in urban areas and river riparian system in rural areas. These modern methods will not only help us address the major challenges of water shortage and flooding, but also prevent precious water from being dumped into the sea. The authorities concerned should consider these modern methods to save the precious water.

Muzzamil Shahzad

Lahore