FAISALABAD The City

‘WB, ADB has categorised Pakistan
as water-stressed country’
From Our Correspondent
FAISALABAD: Experts and scientists have demanded the government map out a comprehensive groundwater recharge policy to address the issue of deteriorating water quality and decreasing level of the underground water.
The meeting on “Integrated Water Resources Management: Opportunity and Challenges” was arranged by the Water Management Research Centre and Department of Irrigation and Drainage, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, at New Senate Hall here.
Speaking on the occasion, UAF Vice-Chancellor Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan said that groundwater in the country was running out at fast pace. The World Bank and the Asian Development Bank had categorised Pakistan as a water-stressed country, he added.
He said: “We are dragging groundwater at a large pace, resulting in lower down the water level.” As many as one million tube-wells were installed in the Punjab only, he said, adding that there was no mechanism to recharge the groundwater in the country. He said that if the trend continued, the groundwater table would come under severe pressure. He said that a regulatory authority should be set up to have a check on the massive pumping of groundwater.
Dean Agri Engineering Dr Allah Bakhsh said that human activity was leading to the rapid draining of about one-thirds of the planet’s largest groundwater reserves.
He said that half of Pakistan’s population was food insecure and if the current trend of water depletion continued, it would worsen the situation. He also emphasised the need to devise water use policy.
ORIC Director Dr Asif Ali urged the participants to make all-out efforts to address the issue of agricultural sector and farming community. Dr Jehanzeb Cheema said that laser land levelling and best management practices could also conserve water. Despite sufficient irrigation, the crop productivity was decreasing, he said, adding that water recharge at the farm level should be made a part of the Kisan Package announced by the government recently.
WMRC Director Dr Syed Hamid Shah, Dr Sarosh Lodhi, Simi Kamal and others also spoke on the occasion.
SKILL DEVELOPMENT COURSES: The University of Agriculture Faisalabad is going to start five-month skill development courses relating to food technology and livestock/dairy development at the Department of Continuing Education.
According to department Chairman Dr Mehmood A Randhawa, the students will be given stipend, free admission, free uniform and free books. The middle and matriculation pass people of more than 15 years of age can apply. Last date to apply is October 31 while the classes will start from November 2.