April 4th,2010
Jean Yang
picture from Alliance/dpa, Germany federal foreign office
In the current world, the water crisis in the underdeveloped countries has become alarming matter. It has been stated that one-third of the World Bank monetary lending, approximately 54 billion, has been linked with water issues from the year 1997 to 2007. According to the World Bank’s Independent Evaluation Group (IEG) newest report, within the next five years, people without drinkable sanitized water might reach 800 millions.
This number stresses the importance of changes. Every year, Pakistan, the world’s 6th most populous country, struggles with water quality and shortage. Over 1.2 million Citizens of Pakistan face death due to water-borne diseases, and causes 60% of the death in children under the age of 5.Children often face diseases as: Diarrhea, cholera, typhoid, hepatitis A and E, trachoma and intestinal worms. According to Benazir Bhutto Hospital, Director of Emergency, Dr. Muhammad Mujeeb Khan states: “In Pakistan, with approximate 630 children dying daily from Diarrhoea.”
Though sanitation education has been implemented, such as “World Hand Washing Day”, “World Water Day”, the toll of death still requires faster changes. As the secretary of Environment, Khushnood Akhtar Lashari states: “In Pakistan, diarrhea killed 11% of total children before their fifth birthday.”
The World Health Organization states 80% of the infections are caused by poor water conditions. Yet, there isn’t a safe effective policy regarding drinking water treatment, or a measurement on its standard and quality. Dr. Khan also says that: “Water in many cities of Pakistan is unsafe for human consumption due to both bacterial and chemical contamination.”
The authorities do not have the right equipments, not enough chlorine gas cylinders, and not the adequate training to resolve the issue. Consequently, the habitants are suffering from the aggravating situation. Health experts observe: “About 80% of Rawalpindi population drinks contaminated water. Every day, nine out of ten times, the glass of water turns out to be ‘unfit for human consumption’ as the situation of public water sources, storage tanks, distribution channels etc has become horrifying.”
Though experts say methods to resolve the issue is by informing the local community concerning the “rusty water pipelines”, and replace them by newer ones, the fundamental problem still remain unresolved.
The authorities do not have the right equipments, not enough chlorine gas cylinders, and not the adequate training to resolve the issue. Consequently, the habitants are suffering from the aggravating situation. Health experts observe: “About 80% of Rawalpindi population drinks contaminated water. Every day, nine out of ten times, the glass of water turns out to be ‘unfit for human consumption’ as the situation of public water sources, storage tanks, distribution channels etc has become horrifying.”
Though experts say methods to resolve the issue is by informing the local community concerning the “rusty water pipelines”, and replace them by newer ones, the fundamental problem still remain unresolved.
The government has often failed to take in consideration of the precarious water contamination and water inadequacy issues, and address 80 times more funding into its military instead of its water provision. For instance, the year 2009-2010, Pakistan budget for the military spending is set at Rs.343 billion. Additionally, United States agency for International Development (USAID) will provide for the next 5 years 1.5 billion of non-military aid to the development of Pakistan, which fears to get lost in bureaucracy. As Roger Bates, American Enterprise Institute says: “When you are spending large amount of money at arm’s length, operating in hostile environments, it is very easy for money to get spent corruptly and/or badly…”
Consequently, one of the resolutions to evade the alarming situation is by better management of water resources, and redistribution of funding by the Pakistani Government.
Ever since the global warming caused the dissolving of the Himalayan glaciers and diminution of water flowing into the Indus River system, it led to the sufferance of agricultural lands. It has been stipulated that the country can experience a 30 to 40% decline of wheat production since water sources have been diminishing drastically. As president of farmers’ association of Pakistan, Muttahida Kisan Mahaz states: “wheat crops in Sindh and Punjab are in danger as the growers’ community is facing worst water shortage.”
The sugarcane production also faces precarious changes, as the water shortage is affecting the growth of sugarcane, a major bread winner for the farmers, and a source of employment for many Pakistanis. As official estimates: “the country needed about 67.110 Million Acre Feet(MAF) water for the entire Kharif season but for this year the estimated water availability is about less than 67 Million Acre Feet, and the water shortage would badly affect particularly sugarcane and rice production. Last year in Kharif season (April to Sep) there was 67 Million Acre Feet water available for agriculture.”
Presently, 24 percents of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in this Muslim country is attributed to agricultural sector, and earns 60 percents of the country’s export earnings. Thus, water scarcity of Pakistan will lead to detrimental consequences to its people, with the inability to feed themselves, nor sustain an income; which will result in famine in the long haul.
As a result, it would be an important matter that specific policies implementation are set for the water pollution and water shortage, in order to save the slow death of its population. A superior communication and education toward its community toward eradicating water shortage will also alleviate its problematic issues. Instead of pointing fingers toward the Indus Water Treaty, a peaceful cooperation might be a baby step to resolve the water crisis occurring on both side of the frontier.
Consequently, one of the resolutions to evade the alarming situation is by better management of water resources, and redistribution of funding by the Pakistani Government.
Ever since the global warming caused the dissolving of the Himalayan glaciers and diminution of water flowing into the Indus River system, it led to the sufferance of agricultural lands. It has been stipulated that the country can experience a 30 to 40% decline of wheat production since water sources have been diminishing drastically. As president of farmers’ association of Pakistan, Muttahida Kisan Mahaz states: “wheat crops in Sindh and Punjab are in danger as the growers’ community is facing worst water shortage.”
The sugarcane production also faces precarious changes, as the water shortage is affecting the growth of sugarcane, a major bread winner for the farmers, and a source of employment for many Pakistanis. As official estimates: “the country needed about 67.110 Million Acre Feet(MAF) water for the entire Kharif season but for this year the estimated water availability is about less than 67 Million Acre Feet, and the water shortage would badly affect particularly sugarcane and rice production. Last year in Kharif season (April to Sep) there was 67 Million Acre Feet water available for agriculture.”
Presently, 24 percents of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in this Muslim country is attributed to agricultural sector, and earns 60 percents of the country’s export earnings. Thus, water scarcity of Pakistan will lead to detrimental consequences to its people, with the inability to feed themselves, nor sustain an income; which will result in famine in the long haul.
As a result, it would be an important matter that specific policies implementation are set for the water pollution and water shortage, in order to save the slow death of its population. A superior communication and education toward its community toward eradicating water shortage will also alleviate its problematic issues. Instead of pointing fingers toward the Indus Water Treaty, a peaceful cooperation might be a baby step to resolve the water crisis occurring on both side of the frontier.
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