The Water Crisis Isn’t Just the Government’s Responsibility and It’s High Time We Do Our Part

A report from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has revealed Pakistan to be third on the list of countries dealing with a water shortage. It is being said that Pakistan may be confronted with serious shortages as early as 2025. This is due to the combined effect of a constantly increasing population and a decreasing per capita availability of water.

Is Anyone Taking Notice?

To this end, the Council of Research in Water Resources has been trying to convince the government to start implementing solutions to the problem, but with elections so near, the issue of water shortages has been put on the back burner. A seminar was also held on World Water Day at the Federal Urdu University of Arts, Science and Technology to discuss the problem. It was concluded that not only does the country need scores more dams and reservoirs but also needs to utilize it more efficiently. LUMS professor Dr. Mehmood Ahmed pointed out that one of the major issues the country faces is that due to a lack of water saving schemes, most of the water from natural sources that it does have access to is wasted. Presently, the government has not expressed any real interest in the environment of the country, of which preservation and protection of water resources is a major aspect. But that doesn’t mean we as citizens can’t do anything about it either.

Green Pakistan Programme

What the government did do was launch a spring tree planting campaign back in February, which aimed to plant 100 million more saplings in various parts of the country. water   This is in line with the general wave of tree-planting schemes gaining steam across the world. In 2015, up to 120 countries including China, Latin America, Africa, India, and France had pledged to increase or restore forested areas. It is hoped that this will help combat climate changes being witnessed in the form of rising temperatures, rapidly melting glaciers, and increased sea levels as a result.

Can The Planting of Trees Help Water Shortages?

Absolutely. The two are intricately connected; if you don’t have trees, you don’t have water. Trees act as an interceptive filter by reducing siltation in dams which decreases their water holding capacity. Additionally, they help keep our natural water resources such as rivers and lakes clean by reducing the build-up of silt and other particles. Trees also add to the amount of water present in our environment; each tree is said to give out 250-400 gallons of water every day. This means trees are a way to keep our environment hydrated. In this way, they also increase rainfall, which means more water for dams and reservoirs. So if there’s anything you want to do combat water shortages, don’t look further than the nearest nursery!   Looks like the initiative has already picked up steam:   Don’t forget to conserve water individually as well; fix any leaking taps/pipes and don’t keep the water running too long. Most importantly, do not pollute rivers and lakes. The water that you’re throwing your trash into might be the water that can sustain us through critical shortages within the next 7-10 years. *Feature Image Credits: Kelsey King*

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