Pakistan is utilising 30 Million-Acre Feet (MAF) water resources out of the available capacity of 140 MAF. The rest of the water is being wasted which is a challenging task for water experts and engineers of the country.
This was stated by Professor Dr Zakir Hussain, Vice Chancellor Government College University (GCU), Faisalabad while addressing as a chief guest at the closing ceremony of 10-Day workshop on "On-Farm Water Management Techniques", jointly organised by Water Management Research Centre (WMRC) UAF and Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) at New Senate Hall of the varsity, here on Monday. Dr Muhammad Irshad conducted the workshop.
Dr Zakir said that due to poor planning and lack of water conservation mechanism, Pakistan is pouring 40 MAF water annually in the Indian Ocean. As far as international standards are concerned, only 10MAF of water is required to be drained down in the sea. He criticised Sindh Indus Basin treaty with India because of which Pakistan has been deprived of three rivers with a single stroke of pen, while India constructed water reservoirs on Jhelum and Chenab Rivers in order to make Pakistan barren.
He stressed the need for establishing groundwater regulation authority in order to maintain groundwater level. He also emphasised the need of an annual water budget for appropriate utilisation of water. GCU vice chancellor blamed International Power Producers (IPPs) for delay in the construction of new dams and politicising of the issue. He pointed out that 19 sites of water reservoirs have already been identified to conserve available water resources.
In his address, Professor Dr Rai Niaz Ahmad, Dean Faculty of Agri. Engineering and Technology and Director Water Management Research Centre UAF highlighted the main features of United States Assistance to Agricultural Development in Balochistan Boarder Areas (USABBA), initiatives, and termed it a milestone for bringing prosperity in the rural areas of Balochistan province through development activities.
He termed the 10-Day training workshop key to inter-provincial as well as national harmony, in which scientists and experts were exchanging their views and sharing experiences for betterment of the irrigation systems. Dr Niaz disclosed that research & development and capacity enhancement activities are underway at WMRC and more than 1,000 experts and farmers have so far obtained training regarding water issues.
Expressing his views on the occasion, Dr Muhammad Yasin, Director General (Field) Punjab said 69 percent of the available water resources are used for irrigation purpose, 23 percent for the industrial sector and eight percent in domestic use. He added that in year 1951, per capita water availability for 34 million of population was 5,260 cubic meter whereas in 2010, it has dropped to the level of 1,066 cubic meter for 167 million population of the country.
Dr Yasin said that we are wasting 43 MAF water due to lack of water usage efficiency mechanism. He maintained that total shortfall of water of 32 MAF could be overcome by better management. He added that 931,048 tube-wells all around the country are pumping groundwater without proper planning.