Pakistan confronting serious challenges of depleting water resources

Islamabad, March 22, 2011 (PPI): Director General Environment, Jawed Ali Khan has said that Pakistan is confronting serious challenges of depleting water resources. The scale and pace of urbanization also poses a big challenge for the provision of safe drinking water in the country. He said that children are the principal victims of the neglect of water quality however; collective efforts have to be made to meet this core issue.

He expressed these views while addressing in a national workshop to celebrate World Water Day, organized by Ministry of Environment in collaboration of UNICEF, UN Habitat, PIEDAR, Water Aid and WASH here Tuesday. He read out the message of Secretary Environment on the occasion.

The Director General said that water availability per capita has decreased at an alarming rate and the challenge is further aggravated by groundwater pollution and depletion, rapid urbanization and growth of urban slums and squatter settlements. Unfortunately, most water supply, whether protected and treated at source or not, gets contaminated again in transmission or in handling at home or in the water tanks and containers. Javaid Ali Khan further informed the audience that diarrhea and many other deceases are caused by contaminated water, bad sanitation and poor hygiene practices. Mothers in the urban areas of Pakistan report that 11 percent of their children fell ill with an episode of diarrhea in the previous month. This is in fact somewhat higher than in the rural areas of the country.

He told that Ministry of Environment, UNICEF, UN-HABITAT and other partners are committed to promote the children to become the agents of change as the fresh and innovative thinking always comes from the young in every society. The D.G told that, this year the theme for World Water Day is “Water and Cities: Responding to the Urban Challenge” that gives us direction to move for the betterment of the people. This year we have decided to observe World Water Day as a demonstration of Children-Led initiatives for water purification at point of use. The messages that emerge from the plays and dramas presented today must be spread to every nook and corner of the county. He ensured that government will leave no stone un-turned to provide all possible facilities for the provision of clean drinking water to the public.

Director Environment Irfan Tariq said in his address that government is aware of the water issue in the country. Water scarcity issue is becoming worse day by day however we have to bring change in our habits to over-come water crisis. We have to adopt good practices to consume the water according to the need. He urged to discourage the community for misuse of water resources.

On this occasion, Director General impressed by seeing the methods that children propose for water purification and listening the stories and skits that child presented to promote water purification in every home and school across the country. Children from different educational institutes, officials of Ministry of Environment and related organizations, media and huge number of general public participated in this national workshop.