WATER CRISIS IN SINDH PAKISTAN: CAUSES, CONSEQUENCES AND RECOMMENDATION

By

Abdul Rahim Chandio

ABSTRACT

The central theme of the existing paper is to highlight the causes, consequence and recommendation of the emerging
draught and agricultural decline in Sindh. Water is the most precious natural resource on the earth and it decides to
become the lifeline of a nation and materialize the rise and fall of a civilization. Water crisis is the serious dilemma for all
people and nations of the world which brings the not only decline of agricultural sector, but it also decides the fat of
industrial, and non industrial spheres of life. It is most critical issue for an agrarian land as compare to an industrial nation.
Likely, Sindh as an agrarian-based region since the dawn of Indus valley civilization throughout its thousand years of her
history due to natural bounties like water surplus. It is the critical timing for Sindh to face the draught and undrinkable
water to people lead health crises. There are number factor behind the water crisis in Sindh that follows the rainfall
variability, unequal distribution of water among provinces, mismanagement of the resource, and setting up of dams in
other provinces. The most important repercussion of the scarcity of the water in Pakistan particularly Sindh spread the
wings of the mass mobilization, decline of agricultural sector, insufficiency of drinkable of water in the big city of
province-like Karachi, Hyderabad and Sukkur. The drastically dryness and vulnerability of doughtiness require an urgent
attention with the restoration of the Indus water treaty, chart out the drought-vulnerable areas of the Sindh, settle the water
dispute with other province and ensure an effective water management.

Keyword: water shortage, causes, consequences, recommendations

INTRODUCTION desertliness in the 51% percentage of Sindh. "The

government is ignoring the interests of our province,"
The critical dilemma of draught and agriculture decline
Ayaz Lateef Palejo, a nationalist leader from the
possess a number of factors and consequences that not
southern Sindh province, told DW. "Likely, in an IRSA
only downfall the water shortage to the agricultural
report, there is a tough water shortage in Sindh and
sector to rural Sindh but it can also bring the days to live
Punjab that reaches the 37pc and 38pc respectively.
on mars for the urban life as well. Prevailing drought
Moreover, there draught and sever water hit districts of
and scarcity of water in Sindh gave an inerasable leave
Sindh are Tharparkar, Qumbar Shahdadkot, Thatta,
to humiliate the Sindh’s economy and miserable
Badin, and Dadu. In a report of Pakistan observer, if the
condition of its people (Talpur, 2001). According to Dr.
existing conditions of shortage of water prevail in
Abdul Razak Sheikh water crisis in Sindh hit the
Pakistan that can bring severe poverty and demographic
Livestock badly that turns down the grazing pasture and
change particularly Sindh (pakobserver).
make animals weaker and more prone to disease. There
is an opinion on the water scarcity and the rising of
drought Sindh in which climate change, unequal
distribution of water reservoirs and setting of all mega
dams out of the province that brought serious

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In a UNDP report, negligence of water issue by
in a meeting of Sindh cabinet on 21 August 21
Pakistani authority is posing a critical threat to stability
August 2018 it was decided to mobilize the relief
and future development process. Additionally, an
measure to people of calamity-hit areas in which
alarming news highlights by experts that South Asian
provision of the 50 kilograms of wheat per month was
country goes to dry up by 2025. In the contemporary
assured. The measurement of the calamity-hit people
period, terrorism is not a threat to Pakistan as compare
encompasses the 323,435 families in Tharparkar and
to water scarcity. In a report of (express news), Sindh
43,240 families in Umerkot districts will secure the
government t declares six districts severe drought
relief aid.
affected in the province in which Thatta, Dadu,
Umerkot, Sanghar, Nagarparkar and Kambar
Shahdadkot are in the first rank of water shortage and
desert hit districts of Sindh. Drought and water
shortage brought abnormal conditions for the
cultivated crops to be dried and residents of the
district compelled to migrate as it is mentioned in the
following notification “The cultivated crops have
dried and abnormal conditions have deteriorated the
social conditions and the inhabitants of the district
have started the migration,”

The notification was issued by the Sindh relief

commissioner as he, observed the prevailing Moreover, a red zone alerted by Sindh wildlife as
conditions in the Tharparkar. In this way, from 172 drought brought a serious dilemma as receding grass
days 162 venue deaths have been declared drought- and dried up ponds in Sindh. The causes, consequences,
hit in the district. “The situation in the opinion of the and recommendations of the prevailing conditions of
government warrants action under the provisions of drought and water scarcity in Sindh can be elaborated in
Sindh Natural Calamities (Prevention and Relief) a detail as below.
Act, 1958,” the notification reads.
REASONS BEHIND THE VULNERABILITY OF
DRAUGHT AND WATER SCARCITY IN SINDH

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Pakistan is the fourth state by world's highest rate in
water use. Its water intensity rate - the amount of water
in cubic meters used per unit of GDP - is the worlds
highest. This suggests that no country's economy is
more water-intensive than Pakistan's. According to the
International Monetary Fund (IMF), Pakistan is already
the third most water-stressed country in the world. Its
per capita annual water availability is 1,017 cubic
meters terrifyingly close to the scarcity threshold of
1,000 cubic meters. Back in 2009, Pakistan's water
availability was about 1,500 cubic meters. The diverse
and dynamic situation always became the cause of the
water shortage and drought in Pakistan in which lack of
farsightedness concerning Indian violation of the water
treaty and absence of a quality since the emergence of
the country. Likely, Expert Irfan Choudhry also argues
that the lack of authorities’ political will to tackle the
problem is the chief cause of the dilemma. "There are no
proper water storage facilities in the country. Pakistan
hasn't built new dams since the 1960s. What we see is
political bickering over the issue. The authorities need
to act now. We can store water for only 30 days, and it
is worrisome," Choudhry told DW. Furthermore, there
is a number of factors that become the water dilemma in
Pakistan as these causes can be enlisted as below.
 Climate change has brought an intensive
change in rain pattern thus less rainfall
could not accomplish the demand and
supply of water use of people
 Water management is a phenomenon to
design the planning, developing, and
distributing of water resources in an
appropriate under certain defined and
principled water policies and regulations.
Poor water management leads to misuse
of the reservoirs that also becomes a chief
agent of desertification (Ali, 2006).
 Step mother attitude of Sir Radcliff in
boundary commission in which he gave
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Muslim majority area to India sovereignty
and blocked the water flow as the origin
of streaming begin from Indian soil.
 Indian violation of the Indus water treaty
which t was brokered by World Bank. in
the treaty, Nehru-Ayub khan signed an
agreement on 19 September 1960 at
Karachi that allowed to sustain her right
on the Beas, Ravi and Sutlej whereas
Pakistan assured the claim on Indus,
Chenab, and Jhelum.
 Lack of proper management by
government and dearth of farsighted
leadership to tackle the scenario with deep
comprehensiveness.
 Lack of transparent policy making and
distribution of the water also gives birth to
the water problem in Pakistan. in this
way, Pakistan still lags behind in devising
a clear mechanism of transparent
distribution of water among provinces.
 Unrest between provinces and inefficient
role of IRSA
 Lack of dams in Sindh as mega-dams in
other province prevail and negligible
modern irrigation system also spread the
wings of water dilemma.
 Inadequate awareness among people
regarding the proper use of water and
wastage of water its lack of significance
among the public.
 Challenges of Indus basin irrigation
system (IBIS) to introduce the modern
irrigation system in the country which
may intake lees water for cropping.
 The absence of proper measures to
conserve water and carelessness and
slackness in saving water also fueling the
water shortage.
  Urbanization/ industrialization increased
the use of electricity that results in high
consumption of water and reduced storage
capacity of the dams also hampered to
store optimum water accordingly.
 Bad rainfall and snowing also become a
cause to discourage the water streaming
 Population explosion enhanced
demand and supply of water in the rural
and urban spheres of the society.
 Water corruption is the bed of rose of
monopolist class of society, feudalism and
military gifted lands to fertile their lands
via cutting the supply the lower farmer or
agrarian section of the society.
CONSEQUENCES OF THE DILEMMA
Water is the most precious natural resource which is the
only survival man on the earth. Men have lived without
love, but no one without water (W.H.AUDEN). the
sustainability of water is the unique asset to man to
support individual and collective development.
Moreover, water is the chief agent to rise and the
downfall of a civilization. Water scarcity affects the
health, social security, standard of living, a quality
governance, climate, and survival of biological being. In
this perspective, the consequence of water sacristy and
draught can be enumerated as below.
 Triggering security conflicts in
country: water scarcity creates
domestic conflicts among the farmer on
the distribution and stressed scheduling in
this regarding
 The water dilemma will drip up to the
ponds and other streaming that can force
people to drink low quality water as
contaminated. Resultantly, water-borne
diseases spread their wings in the form of
Polio, Malaria, Cholera, Scabies,
Typhoid, Anemia, Botulism, Fluorosis,
Trachoma, Hepatitis and Diarrhea.
 Implications on the country’s internal
security and stability (local disputes
domestic violence, decocting, robbery,
mismanagement, crime, and corruption).
the  Climate change and Decreased crops
yield also highlight agricultural
devastation.
 70% workforce and 24 % GDP is
dependent on the agriculture sector thus
downfall of the agriculture in Pakistan
also erupt the volcano of unemployment
and economic decline.
 At an international ground threat of Indo-
Pak war may deteriorate the regional
peace and stability and global economic
system.
In a statement given by the Pakistan Council of
Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) in order to
warn the county for upcoming drought by 2025 if the
authorities fail to take any precaution initiatives to face
the dilemmas. Pakistan is having three basic reservoirs,
namely Mangla dam reservoir, Terbela dam reservoir,
and Chashma barrage reservoir. additionally, there are
other small reservoirs like Warsak, Baran dam hub,
Khanpur, Tanda, Rawal, Simply, Bakht Khan Hamal
the lake, Mancher lake, Kinjhar lake, and Chotiari lake Are
the also included as small storage. in this way, Terbela dam
reservoir is the World’s largest earth and rock filled
dam, built at on river Indus in 1976, gross capacity of
11.62 map, and its existing storage capacity of 9.68
map. Mangla dam reservoir: second major storage of
Pakistan, built in 1967, on river Jhelum, as its gross
capacity of 5.882 maf and live storage capacity is about
5.41 maf and Chashma barrage reservoir is on river
Indus, built in 1972, gross storage of 0.870 maf and it
present storage of 0.717 maf thus it most important to
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restore the due storage capacity of Mangla, Terbela  Proper planning of water budget.
and Chashma. According to a recently released  Proper use of irrigation water. For this
International Monetary Fund report, Pakistan ranks third purpose adopt effective irrigation methods
among countries facing water shortage (IMF 2015). like trickling, sprinkling, Basin and drip
after giving a brief discussion on the causes and irrigation.
consequences of water crisis there are certain  Develop a strategy to reduce water loss
recommendations to overcome the dilemma to some through seepage, leaching, percolation by
extent which can be enlisted as below the lining of canals.
 Decrease the excessive pumpage of
CREATING ROADMAP TO MEET THE
underground water.
DILEMMA

 To educate the masses on the proper use
of water
 An imperative role of media in order to
inculcate the awareness among the people
 To construct new water reservoirs and
dams
 The Pakistan Council of Research in
Water Resources (PCRWR) warned that
the country would run out of potable
water by 2025 if authorities did not
address it at the earliest.
 To restore the due storage capacity of the
Chasha dam, Kalabagh
reservoir, Raised Mangla dam, Mirani
dam, and Gomalzam dam.
 Water management: to eliminate, seepage,
infiltration, and leakages, water logging to
educated to conserve
cooperation, laws making
conservation, like many western countries
CONCLUSION
The water crisis is a serious issue for all nations and
time to come. there are certain causes behind the
dilemma of man made and natural aspects as well. in
this way, around 30 million acre-feet (MAF) of water is
wasted due to poor management and Pakistan Council
of Research on Water Resources (PCRWR) has warned
that Pakistan would reach absolute water scarcity by
2025 that require urgent attention to meet the issue with
precocious initiatives. It is a serious time for collective
life to comprehend the intensity of dilemma in order to
face the catastrophe to emerge soon. Moreover, a slight
dam, Thal careless and indifferent attitude make our hopes baseless
and a boat on a desert to stream to make Pakistan the
tiger of South Asia and champion of the Muslim World.
water by REFERENCE
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