Water conservation at every level need of the hour: experts
Pakistan
Speakers emphasised that ignoring worsening water crisis can put future generations at risk
LAHORE (Web Desk) – As the country faces shortage of water due to less rainfall in recent times, experts underscore the need to preserve the ‘precious asset’ to avoid shortage in future.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) recently issued a drought alert for Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan due to “below average rainfall”.
The PMD said the average temperature in the lower half of the country was 2-3 degrees Celsius above normal during March 2025 and some areas in the southern region experienced dry spell exceeding 200 days.
Also Read: PMD issues drought alert for Sindh, Balochistan and Punjab
The overall rainfall from Sept 1, 2024, to March 21, 2025, was 40pc below normal. This has led to water shortage in Tarbela and Mangla dams, with water levels in both reservoirs at critically low level - 1,402 feet in Tarbela and 1,061.75 feet in Mangla.
Amid the lurking crisis experts call for efforts to preserve water and avoid wastage. As part of the endeavor, a seminar titled ‘Save Water – Save the Future of Pakistan’ was held at private club in Lahore.
The event featured expert opinions from Dr Mansoor Hashmi and Dr Muhammad Nawaz Chaudhry from NESPAK, along with former WASA MD Mian Abdullah, Mian Nabeel Ashraf, Khalid Javaid, and Dr Muhammad Sadiq.
The speakers emphasised that ignoring Pakistan’s worsening water crisis can put future generations at risk. They warned that if proper measures were not taken, Pakistan could face extreme water scarcity by 2035.
They also highlighted that 80pc of diseases in the country were caused by contaminated water.
Also Read: Pakistan struggles to conserve water as World Water Day is being observed
Agriculture, the backbone of Pakistan’s economy, is incomplete without reliable water supply.
Adnan Hussain Malik, Khawaja Umar Zaib, Haroon Ahmad, Dr Zahid Hussain and Ms Shazia also participated in the discussion, which concluded with key suggestions to be adopted.
They urged the government to prioritise the development of water reservoirs, launch awareness campaigns on water conservation, and engage schools, colleges, and media in advocacy efforts.
Efforts should be made, they said, to store rainwater through rainwater harvesting methods, adopting Drip Irrigation etc.
The public should not leave taps running unnecessarily and avoid wasting water while washing cars or floors.
The seminar concluded with a message that "A small effort can make a big impact!"
"If we save one bucket of water today, a whole generation will thrive tomorrow!"
