Karachi may face water crisis as water level drops in Keenjhar lake

KARACHI/ SUKKUR: Water level in the Keenjhar Lake has dropped to the dead level, ensuing another water crisis in Karachi, while the desert areas of south Punjab have also been facing drought-like situation during the recent heat wave as 3,000 water ponds had turned dry.

The assistant engineer of the Keenjhar Lake said the water level has decreased to 48 feet from 56 feet, saying it would be difficult to supply water to Karachi if it reduced to 42 feet. He added that Karachi is being supplied 1,200 cusecs water daily, saying that the situation could go bad to worse if it doesn’t rain.

Meanwhile, recent heat wave has killed as many as 50 sheep in the Cholistan Desert.Speaking at a press conference, MD Cholistan Development Authority Mehar Khalid Ahmed told the newsmen that as many as 50 sheep had died due to drinking saline water and severe heat wave.

He said more than 3,000 water ponds had dried, adding, the livestock are being died because of heat stroke and drinking saline water. Khalid said 600 km long water supply pipelines were installed to provide water to the livestock at four different places.

The global health and environment experts, meanwhile, warned Pakistan that the recent heat wave in Sindh is dangerous for the livestock and wildlife as well as the human beings. The experts said various types of diseases and viral infections could be surfaced due to severe heat, adding that due to increased heat, the animals could transmit number of diseases to the humans that may pose serious health issues to them.

They said the livestock could be affected by the climate change that may grow various diseases and those diseases could also be transmitted to the humans.In a report based on more than 3,000 samples of livestock, released by the International Science Magazine (Nature), showed that anywhere in the world, the animals were the first that could be exposed or infected by various transmittable diseases or viruses to the human beings.

According to Colin Carlson, Assistant Professor of Biology at the University of Georgetown, a member of the research team, said that Pakistan is on the mark of global warming. Other reasons, including the trees have been exacerbated in Sindh, where the temperatures have increased up to 2 to 4 C.