This is another of my blog on environmental threats we are facing in Pakistan and what we can do at least to protect our environment. Water is an important part of human life.
We need water to drink, wash or cook etc. Pakistan is among few countries in the World where there are many areas where you can obtain underground water which with little refining could be used for all these purposes. We have many rivers and canals whose water we are using in our daily life. But still there are a large proportion of people who have very little access to water fit for drinking purpose. Fresh water is becoming a commodity in the world whose control is seen to be necessary now for future. It is predicted that in future countries will have to fight wars to get control on this resource just like many countries are waging wars to get control of Oil. Pakistan is already in a bitter conflict with India over the control of rivers which are flowing from India to Pakistan. Chanab, Jhelum, Ravi, Sutlaj and Beyas are the main rivers which flew from Indian side to Pakistan. Pakistan had an agreement with India in 1962 in which World Bank was the insurer named “Indus Water Treaty” in which Pakistan was given control of Chanab and Jhelum while India took control of the remaining rivers. But with intensions of India and news of dams on even Chanab and Jhelum is making people in Pakistan tense about what will happen next. Pakistan had complete control over just one major river i.e. river Indus. Now come to our main issue: Water Pollution and Water Wastage. Water Pollution and Water Wastage is becoming a rapidly increasing phenomenon in Pakistan. People even unknowingly are adopting practices which directly or indirectly are responsible for polluting the water. Remember water pollution is directly responsible for more then 14000 deaths daily worldwide. This doesn’t include deaths in remote areas of the world where there is no media or international community coverage. The actual numbers might be much higher. People are directly affecting by cholera, typhoid fever, e-coli infections, PSA infections, diphtheria, enteric fever and diseases due to heavy metals (mercury, lead, arsenic) and organic contamination (benzene, phenol, PCB) of the water due to water pollution and just control over this by even individuals it can save many lives.
Wastage of water is becoming a common practice in places in Pakistan where water is in abundance. Although they are usually big cities but still they don’t see that how much water is been wasted. People forgot that this water which they are using is not necessary will come back and in some cities where they are using underground water is actually depleting their water resources. Water is a precious quantity without which we cannot live. The need is to protect it as much as possible. Washing vehicles twice a day is it worth of wasting water when we can wash them at most once in two days. Similarly wasting much water in cleaning while the same level of cleanliness could be achieved with very less water wasted. Careful planning is always required to do everything. If you have it today is not a guarantee that you will have it tomorrow. That water which you will be protecting from wastage will be for your and your family benefits in future. We also need to think about those people nearby who don’t have access to such water facilities and if we are protecting this water then it might be use for someone who is needy. Then in many cases this water which is wasted is left as it is in open streets and it is considered by many that if water has left their home then its Government responsibility and they don’t have to do anything with it now. What happen then is mostly that this standing water became the birth places of mosquitoes and other such insects which directly became responsible for many diseases in our own community. What we usually say in our working places is that “If you see it you own it” and if you have done it then it is your responsibility to clear that water from streets too as you are not only protecting the environment you are protecting yourself.
Protect Water, as You will be Protecting Yourself.
To be continued…
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