FPCCI expresses concern over wastage of water resources

Lahore: The Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) on Wednesday expressed serious concern over depletion and wastage of water resources. It called for a proper water conservation and management strategy before water scarcity become a national security threat. 

Industrialised nations in Europe have water storage capacity of ninety days but Pakistan which is an agricultural country has storage capacity of 30 days which must be increased to one thousand days, said Abdul Rauf Alam, President FPCCI.

Talking to the business community, he said that we have world’s best canal system but up to fifty percent water is wasted which is not acceptable.

Moreover around 145 million acre feet water passes through country of which major portion is wasted. He said that per capita water availability that was 5600 cubic meter in 1947 has reduced to 1000 cubic meter which gas between demand and supply will reach to one billion cubic meter in a decade. Therefore, he said, water should be declared a matter of national security to save country from becoming a desert.

The President FPCCI said that we will have to shun differences over water and take steps to conserve water for which education of farming community is important.

Abdul Rauf Alam said that Pakistan has glaciers stretched over 13680 kilometres which will be gone within two decades. Rivers are getting dried leaving people with only option to use ground water which is pushing water table down. Ruthless usage of ground water has increased cost of industrial and agricultural production which will result in increased water scarcity and food security issues.

At the occasion Vice President of FPCCI Johar Ali Raki said that we should not waste time on controversial projects and divert full attention to non-controversial projects. He said that three run-of-the-river highly economical projects in Bonji can generate more energy than Diamer-Bhasha and Kalabagh dam put together.

Moreover, he said, a dam on Attabad lake in Hunza valley, another on Satpara Lake in Skardu and using hundreds on water falls can not only make country self-sufficient in power production but it can transform Pakistan into a major electricity exporter generating billions of dollars.