Rafay Waqar |
Water is a scarce resource in Pakistan and for that, Pakistan was declared a water stress country in 2005. Over 90 % of our water is being used in agriculture, out of which 50% get wasted due to old irrigation practices. Remaining 10% is used for civic and industrial purposes. It is one of the major challenges we are facing at the moment.
The amount of fresh water is decreasing and the polluted water is increasing making water not suitable for human or animal consumption. This challenge is compounded when we throw chemical waste into our creeks, rivers, and seas which possess a threat to marine life as well.
This all can be done by ‘realizing’ how important water is and how fast Pakistan is moving toward the acute water shortage.
Not just that water issues like its availability, quality, Unsustainable usage, pollution, and improper water allocations have furthered the problem. Pakistan per capita water availability has declined over the years from 1500 cubic meters in 2009 to 1017 cubic meters by 2017.
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The scarcity of water also causes conflict between people over its possession which adversely impact the economy of Pakistan. It is important when our per capita water availability is inversely proportionate to population growth in the country. Clearly, Water issues can be resolved by individual initiatives to collective actions and especially conserving water at every level.
For example, we should not let water to waste by leaving the taps or pipes on. Only flush toilets when necessary and place buckets under the shower for any extra water. Considering, raising awareness and educating teachers and children about the responsible use of water is of absolute importance on long-term.
This challenge is compounded when we throw chemical waste into our creeks, rivers, and seas which possess a threat to marine life as well.
We also need strict law enforcement on water efficiency and environment-friendly practices in the manufacturing process to avoid any chemical waste polluting our rivers. Bringing efficiency in the agriculture sector is most important by adopting smart practices like drip irrigation methods rather flood irrigation to save water where it is most needed.
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Drip irrigation can easily save up to 60 % water in comparison to flood irrigation methods. We also need large water reservoirs like Dams to save water when it is overflowing. This all can be done by ‘realizing’ how important water is and how fast Pakistan is moving toward the acute water shortage.
Saving the water is the foremost and sustainable solution to this danger. Follow Water4Pakistan on Facebook and Instagram, help us spread awareness; the key ingredient in any success.
Rafay Waqar is a passionate teenager student of Middle Year Program of International Baccalaureate. His passion is to highlight social issues challenging our daily routine. This drove his interest to spread awareness on rising water scarcity and its conservation, the most challenging issue the country is facing today. His interest in water led him to an internship at World Wide Fund (WWF) to expand his knowledge and understanding on the water as a scarce resource and its growing implication for Pakistan. Rafay is running a social media campaign (Water4Pakistan) on Facebook and Instagram to raise awareness among his fellow school children. He can be reached at rafaywaqar2004@gmail.com. The views expressed in this article are author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Global Village Space.