HYDERABAD: Water experts have expressed concern over the scarcity of water resources and the future unavailability of drinking water in Sindh due to climate change and the growing population, and also suggested a survey at the government level regarding groundwater reserves in Sindh.
While addressing a seminar on “Groundwater: Making Invisible visible” in connection with World Water Day organized by the Faculty of Agricultural Engineering, Dr. Altaf Sial, Water Expert and Dean said that due to climate change and erratic rainfall, groundwater is being adversely affected, due to the growing population, there is a risk of a future shortage of drinking water, so we have to save river water as well as groundwater.
He said that from Naran and Kaghan to the delta of Sindh, the Indus River is being polluted by sewage and chemical water from inland cities, which has become a health hazard in the tail part of Sindh. He said that the groundwater of the delta has become toxic and has added arsenic, while its agricultural lands are being swallowed by the sea, there is no law. He suggested that modern survey, surveillance, and groundwater use methods be implemented during the year 2022.
Ghulam Mustafa Ujjan, General Manager, SIDA, said that the water level in Rohri Canal and Nara Canal in Sindh has been reduced from 14000 cusecs to 4000 cusecs. He said that since the advent of the solar system, farmers have been using groundwater indiscriminately. He said that due to the lack of official data, it is not known how many watercourses or tube wells are there? Therefore, the GIS system needs to be given importance.
Director Training Water Management Muhammad Ayub Burdi said that excellent research work was being done on water in Sindh Agricultural University, adding that he was working on various projects related to agricultural engineering and irrigation. While Sindh Agricultural University has created many internship opportunities for students,
Dr. Abdul Ghafoor Sial and Dr. Muneer Ahmed Mangrio said that celebrating this day can help in conveying the importance and usefulness of water to the people; they said that a clear policy should be formulated for the use of groundwater for agriculture and drinking.
On this occasion, the students participated in a speech competition based on poster presentation and theme and prizes and certificates were distributed among the best posters and speakers.
Dr. Jan Muhammad Marri, Pro-Vice Chancellor, Sub-campus Umerkot Registrar Ghulam Mohi-ud-Din Qureshi, teachers and students were present on the occasion.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022
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