Rayyan Baig
Pakistan a nascent state in 1947, started its journey with over 5000 cubic meters per capita availability of water. Now the availability has hit the dangerous mark of just 1000 cubic meters and feared to drop further. The main cause of the decline is the Indus Water Treaty, wherein three Eastern Rivers were given to India. The further decline occurred due to violation of IWT by India through construction of illegal water reservoirs/ hydel power projects on Western Rivers. Unfortunately, the available water too is not optimally utilized and a huge quantity goes waste, especially during flood season. The water storage capacity of the country is barely for a month, much less as compared to World standards, which is 120 days.
This limited water storage capacity not only deprives agriculture sector from the availability of water during critical times but restricts the production of cheap electricity as well. India has illegally attained the capability to retain / stop Pakistan’s water for a month, which she won’t hesitate to use when desired. The present water storage capacity of Pakistan and Indian acquired capability may turn disastrous for the survival of Pakistan thus necessitating immediate remedial measures.
Pakistan mostly remains short of water to meet its requirements, but around 10-30 MAF of water goes unutilized into the sea annually, in floods the quantity increases manifold. The cost of wasted water equals to around 25 billion dollars annually. The lack of reservoirs not only results in the wastage of tens of MAF water, but it also fails to limit the damage caused by floods. The mega floods of 2010 took around 2000 lives, caused damage to infrastructure worth 4 billion dollars, damage to wheat crops worth 500 million dollars and total economic impact worth 43 billion dollars. These losses could have been avoided had there been water reservoirs to store the surplus water.
The less availability of water affects the crops forcing the farmers to resort to extracting underground water. In Punjab alone around 1.3 million tube wells extract underground water. Around 50 to 55 MAF water is extracted whereas only 40 to 45 MAF is recharged into the underground aquifers thus continuously lowering the water tables. Due to the overall poor solid / liquid waste disposal / treatment in the country the depleting subsoil water is also getting polluted and becoming unsafe for drinking. It is estimated that around 60 million people are at risk from the deadly chemical arsenic present in subsoil water due to pollution. The other problems are the mismanagement of the available water, uneconomical farming and lack of sense of responsibility at individual levels to preserve water.
Just a few big dams / reservoirs were made in Pakistan in 1960s-70s and thereafter no more dams were added despite clear advice from the World Bank. Due to the sedimentation the existing dams / reservoirs are also losing their storage capacity. The Tarbela Dam has lost 35% capacity, Mangla Dam 16%, whereas Chashm’s storage capacity has squeezed by 61%. It is feared that by 2025 Pakistan would be short of 31% of water to meet people’s needs.The grim situation warrants immediate measures to stop the situation from getting further grave in the future. The initiative taken by ex CJP to build Mohmand Dam through public donation has proved as the first drop of rain, though insufficient to meet the challenges.
The multipurpose concrete-faced rock-filled Mohmand Damis being constructed on the Swat River, about 48 KMs from Peshawar. In five years’ time it would get completed with a cost of around 183 billion rupees. It would have huge potential to meet water and energy requirements of the country. It would store 1.2 MAF of water, produce 800 MW cheap and clean electricity and bring tens of thousands of acres of barren land under cultivation. The dam would also resolve long awaited problems of water scarcity in Mohmand district and drinking water problem of Peshawar. When completed, it would save Charsadda, Peshawar, Nowshera and other districts from floods.
Beside water another simmering problem confronting the country is the availability of cheap electricity. Unfortunately, due to political and other reasons, instead of exploiting the natural source of generating electricity the premium has remained on costly and unclean thermal power projects. Whenever there has been a talk of making any dam / reservoir a few voices, on the behest of our enemies, are heard against such projects.
The Kalabagh Dam, despite its technical feasibility, has since long been made controversial due to the political exigencies, a few quarters also tried to do the same with Mohmand Dam. The low water storage capacity impacts the food security and the availability of cheap energy for production of goods to compete in the World market. Pakistan produces just 30% energy from hydel whereas 70 % is produced from other sources. Similarly, against the average 117 MAF consumption requirement, just 14 MAF water storage capacity exists. The decision to construct Mohmand Dam is a wise step in right direction, however not the ultimate solution of our problems.
The political leadership need to show acumen and leave their politics aside on this all-important issue. The construction of 2-3 large dams, other than Mohmand Dam, is the immediate need of the country.
The feasibility or otherwise of any site be left to the technical experts, the Government and the national political leadership should sit together to find out the resources and means for their construction.
The Government also needs to introduce latest farming techniques and assist farmers in this regard. Strict laws on the waste disposal need to be introduced and implemented as well. The awareness campaign to conserve water be included in the syllabus of educational institutions and aggressively launched on media as well.
