Pakistan: Water availability dwindling
September 25th 2012
The per capita water availability [of Pakistan] is dwindling with every passing day, putting food security at risk, according to a Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) report on Saturday.
The per capita water availability in Pakistan has dwindled by over 406 percent from 5,260 cubic metres in 1951 to 1,038 cubic metres in 2010, only marginally above the 1,000 cubic metres per person threshold value under the global criteria, the report said.
“If the status quo continues, then by 2020, the water availability in Pakistan would further plummet to 877 cubic metres per annum, which will further go down to an alarming level of 575 cubic feet in 2050,” it added.
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According to the document, underground water is fast depleting as the annual extraction of water has swelled up to 51 million-acre feet of water.
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Moreover, the United Nations has placed Pakistan among the “water hotspots” of Asia-Pacific Region, saying that the country faces major threats of increasing water scarcity, high water utilisation, deteriorating water quality and climate change risk.
According to Wapda chairman, Pakistan’s water situation is deteriorating day-by-day and if the status quo continues then Pakistan will be left to face unprecedented catastrophe in terms of touching the per capita water availability to its lowest ebb.” However, he said, if government provides Wapda timely and speedy financial releases, then water situation could be improved to some extent.
Read the entire article: The News, Pakistan
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