Irrational use aggravating water crisis: DG Aab-e-Pak

Faisalabad: Managing Director Punjab Aab-e-Pak Authority and Punjab Municipal Development Fund Company Syed Zahid Aziz has said that although Pakistan is blessed with plenty of water reservoirs, yet vast population and irrational use of water are aggravating its crisis that will play havoc with the lives of the people.

He was speaking as a special guest at a seminar on “Situation of Clean Water in Punjab” under the auspices of the Rotaract Club of the Senior Tutor Office of University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) here on Wednesday.

He said that they have to take practical steps to prevent wastage of water so that this beautiful gift of nature can be preserved for future generations. He said that Pakistan is one of the fifth most populous countries in the world, while only 32 countries around the world have a worse per capita water situation than Pakistan.

He called for creating awareness about population control, efficient irrigation systems with value crops, distribution network improvement at the public level.

He said that various projects are being run with the support of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to ensure clean drinking water in Faisalabad and 34 new dams have been constructed in Potohar.

Additional Deputy Commissioner General Dr Shahab Aslam said that water wastage is a common practice in our society, but if awareness is provided among people about saving water, it will help deal with the water crisis.

Senior Tutor Dr. Shaukat Ali said there was a need to create awareness about water, and foster a participatory approach towards the rational use and clean water in the society.

He said that Islam encourages us to save water and the golden principles of Islam should be followed to make life beautiful.

Dr. Fahd Rasul Associate Professor of Agronomy Department University of Agriculture Faisalabad said that at the time of independence, 5,000 cubic meters of per capita water was available in Pakistan, which has now been reduced to only 900 cubic meters.

He said that thousands of people across the country suffer from various diseases due to water contamination.

JICA’s Mr. Dairaku and Mr. Murakami also spoke.