AMONG the numerous conundrums that this land of the pure has been grappling with, one stands apart as especially peculiar: Pakistan, regardless of being honored with the powerful Indus stream and a portion of the world’s biggest icy masses, is positioned as the second-most water-pushed country internationally. In the year 2022, 33% of the country was lowered under floodwaters, at this point most of metropolitan focuses, including Karachi, kept on experiencing constant water deficiencies. This confusing circumstance has made a cycle in which residents on the other hand challenge the public authority for water shortage or shout out for assist with de-watering after metropolitan floods brought about by precipitation. The eighteenth century Sufi writer Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai sonnet (in Sindhi) stands valid for the present Pakistan; “Just dolts stay parched while sitting close to water.”
Last year, a stunning 33 million individuals, comprising 15% of the nation’s complete populace, were straightforwardly impacted by the staggering floods. Amusingly, a disturbing 10m Pakistanis stay without admittance to clean drinking water while still lowered in the floodwater. Much more disturbing is the gauge that by 2025, an incredible 207m individuals will confront an “flat out shortage of water”.
With 38pc of Pakistan’s populace dwelling in the urban communities, a figure expected to outperform 50pc by 2050, the ceaseless pattern of water shortage and metropolitan flooding represents an overwhelming test. It makes one wonder of why we don’t profit by the water that normally comes to our urban areas and towns. The arrangement lies in something straightforward yet successful.
Pakistan is an Indus Valley country favored with a few streams of various limits. Taking a different path huge number of times since its origin, the Indus has left sorrows, dhoras, and even oxbow lakes in the fields of Punjab and Sindh. Somewhere around 200 melancholies are fanned out in the Indus delta locale from region Badin to Dhabeji. These miseries can retain practically all floodwaters upstream on the off chance that the essential measures are taken. The Punjab waterways likewise have comparable old discouragements spread out all over, which get re-energized during the rainstorm. However land frenzy has involved the majority of them, there are still places which can be used. For instance, solidly in the center of Lahore, the Ravi’s bed, beginning from the Shahdara Hold Woodland to the place of worship of Hazrat Gardezi, a 14-kilometer fix covering the sixteenth century Kamran Baradari of Sovereign Babar’s child Kamran, can be an extraordinary wetland. With lotus and water lilies, the spot can be a travel industry goldmine. Essentially, the disengaged 90-section of land piece of the old Obhayo tidal pond in Karachi along Mai Kolachi street and the 170-section of land dark water lake of Boat Bowl can be restored and used for floodwater assimilation, mangroves and ecotourism.
By 2025, an incredible 207m individuals might confront an ‘flat out shortage of water’.
By committing regions to wetlands, we can make regular supplies that gather water, store it and put it to gainful use for drinking and sporting purposes. Such arrangements possibly check out when we shift our abundance worldview from land and cement to nature-based elective wealth.
Taking motivation from Kolkata, where the East Kolkata Wetland treats north of a billion liters of wastewater day to day, we can outfit the capability of the metropolitan wetlands in Pakistan. These important biological systems assume a huge part in overseeing water assets, decreasing flood dangers and supporting biodiversity.
During COP13, the Ramsar Show presented the Wetland City License, which perceived 18 urban areas that have found a way outstanding ways to protect their metropolitan wetlands. Six of these urban communities are in China. Four each are in France and Korea. Indeed, even immature contries like Sri Lanka and Tunisia are essential for this certification.
The Indus Valley urban communities and towns like Multan, Sukkur, Larkana and Sehwan, and afterward the Jhelum and Chenab catchments, and run-off streams, for example, the Ravi, Sutlej and Beas can act as new wetlands for another ecotourism center point and a biodiversity area of interest directly in the center of urban areas, including Lahore and Karachi. In a water-scant city like Karachi, there are numerous spots in the Lyari and Malir riverbeds where wetlands can support till the following storm, yielding biodiversity administrations. These metropolitan wetlands will make a rich lake biological system with local sea-going plants, for example, water lilies, lotus and Typha elephantina. Using the storm run-off from India to make and support these wetlands won’t just address water shortage yet additionally help in managing temperatures, encouraging the travel industry and safeguarding biodiversity.
The essayist is a specialist on environmental change and improvement, and pioneer behind the Clifton Metropolitan Woods.mlohar@gmail.com
Twitter: masoodlohar
Published in Dawn, August 8th, 2023
