HYDERABAD: Experts have warned of increasing water scarcity in the world in future and urged communities in both rural and urban areas to use water in a wise and sustainable manner to help conserve it for upcoming generations.

They were speaking at a programme organised by Strengthe­ning Participatory Organisation (SPO) in collaboration with Oxfam Pakistan in connection with World Water Day at the Sindh Irrigation and Drainage Authority (Sida) office here on Wednesday. This year’s theme of the day is ‘Leaving no one behind, water for all!’.

Oxfam project coordinator Shahid Khan talked about the state of water in Pakistan, linking it with human life, agriculture, livestock and overall ecosystem. There could be more shortage of water in future, therefore the community should use it sustainably to avoid any crisis in coming days, he advised.

He said that only locals, farmers and herders, could realise difficulties of water scarcity in their villages and called for collaborative efforts to deal with the issue and make serious efforts to manage it at every level.

He said: “We want to ensure participation of community women and we have to take up the issue at policy level”.

He gave credit to Sindh government for making efforts to pass a bill to ensure participation of women in area water boards, watercourses associations and farmers organisations, “which presently are male-dominated and there is no role of women in these major bodies.”

Sida chairman Abdul Basit Soomro asked women to use water wisely at home because even underground water resources were shrinking. Sida planned to arrange awareness sessions at village level to stop wastage of water at home because women could play a significant role in this regard, he said.

About prevailing water crisis in Badin district and subsequent protests, he said that many illegal pipes which were being used for stealing water had been removed and FIRs had been lodged against violators over growers’ complaints. A committee had been formed to resolve nagging water shortage issue in Badin, he said.

Mohammad Ali Nizamani, a researcher associated with Mehran University of Engineering and Technology, who had conducted study on Akram Canal command area, shared with the audience his findings on water governance, supply and demand, perception of farmers and gender empowerment.

“Water scarcity issue exists and we have to resolve it together. We have to adapt modern technology to manage water and increase crop productivity. There are some countries, which do not have natural water resources but they survive through cultivating crops in their barren and desert lands. When these nations can do it without natural water resources, why can’t we do the same with our fertile land [and] natural resources of water?” he said.

PPP MPA Tanzeela Qambrani, who belongs to Badin, called for legislation to ensure role of women in water management bodies.

She also highlighted sea intrusion and the situation caused by water scarcity.

Sida managing director Wali Mohammad Naich said that climate change had taken a heavy toll on water resources. Local people would have to leave traditional practices and adopt modern techniques to use water sustainably as Pakistan was one of the water-stressed countries of the world.

SPO’s Pirbhu Satyani briefed the audience about coordination with all stakeholders including community women and others.

A large num­ber of women from Badin, Tando Mohammad Khan and Hyder­abad — the districts which dep­en­ded on perennial Akram Canal — participated in the seminar.

Published in Dawn, March 21st, 2019