In order to ensure water supply to urban areas, 100 percent metering is unavoidable. It should at-least be accomplished in towns, cities and big cities. Revision of water tariff to cover cost of capital works (including 100 percent metering) and operational cost and construction of mega dams on fast track must take place.
These were the suggestions given by President Pakistan Engineering Congress (PEC), Engineer Husnain Ahmed while delivering a lecture on 'World Water Day', organised by PEC on Saturday. Former Secretary PEC, Engineer Mian Iftikharul Haq was the chief guest on the occasion.
Engineer Husnain said that construction of Kalabagh Dam is a purely technically feasible option lying on the back burner due to the appeasement policy, while construction of small dams all over the country is necessary to ensure safe water supply to rural population. He also suggested installation of Household Water Treatment appliances. 300,000 meters need to be installed in Punjab alone to boost revenues and provide funding for capital works.
Hudiara drain flowing from India contains a lot of polluted water from rivers and streams. It needs to be stopped by Indian government, he added. PEC president observed that glaciers melt will result in extra quantity of water in the short term with a possibility of flooding and less in the long-term. This needs proper water resources planning and management. He suggested that new water supply pipes need to be installed to contain water borne diseases. This would need revision of water tariff. People will be ready to pay more if safe/assured water supply is made available to them, he maintained.
He further said that more than 40 percent of the population in Karachi ie 32-million is residing in Katchi Abadies. Moreover, only 25 percent of registered 10,5,0000 consumers pay the bills. These freebooters need to be brought under registered consumers net and made to pay water charges, he added. He commented that the goals and objectives of National Drinking Water Policy are good but the actual ground realities are extremely disturbing.
Elaborating, he said that 80 million people have no access to safe drinking water while 70 percent diseases are water borne, involving financial losses of rupees 112 billion per year (Rs 300 million a day). Costs associated with diseases alone cause loss of Rs 55/80 billion. Only 65 percent of people at maximum have access to safe drinking water.
1.5 million "Tharis" (people of Thar Desert) face chronic shortage of water due to scant rainfall (harvested rainwater is not of much relief) and have to move with their cattle/belongings place to place in search of greener pastures. This situation is detrimental for the livestock industry at Thar and the consequent financial losses.
Engineer Husnain apprised that in the mega city of Karachi, supply of water is 650 mgd which is 150 mgd less than the demand. Additional 100 mgd water is needed every year to cater to the rising population of the city. In Sindh, purification plants (19 in Hyderabad, 16 in Latifabad and 11 in Qasimabad etc), installed at the cost of millions of rupees, are lying non-functional and people are consuming contaminated water. He revealed that Pakistan is wasting 35-MAF of water which flows into the sea untapped and unutilised every year and when the country is endowed with innumerable locations for building large reservoirs. President PEC said it is reflective of 'utter mindlessness bordering on insanity' that we have failed to construct any dam worth mentioning in the last 30 years, particularly when our country is facing water shortage.
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