KARACHI: Freshwater flows should be regulated as they enhance local livelihoods, conserve wildlife and promote environmental sustainability. For this purpose, we need to revive our natural waterways and redesign development schemes, which would also help tackle urban flooding and minimise the adverse impacts of widespread rains.

This was stated by speakers during a briefing session about the city-wide partnership for sustainable water use and water stewardship held at a local hotel on Monday.

The event was organised under a World Wide Fund for Nature-Pakistan project titled International Labour and Environmental Standards (ILES) Application in Pakistan’s Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).

Highlighting the scarcity of clean drinking water, Dr Mir Zafar Ali, the founder of Eco-Pakistan, a community-based organisation, said 60 to 80 per cent people living in 24 major cities of Pakistan faced problems in accessing clean water.

“Most people in Karachi get water supply once a week and the water they get after so long cannot be used for cooking or drinking purposes,” he said.

‘Govt and citizens should take responsibility and start acting on issues, such as plastic pollution and encroachments’

He underscored the need for improving water quality, reducing pollution and eliminating dumping and discharge of hazardous chemicals and other materials into water bodies, warning that release of untreated industrial waste water directly into freshwater bodies or the sea could damage the aquatic ecosystem and destroy wildlife.

“Individual health is dependent on environmental health, therefore, mutual efforts are needed to ensure sustainable management of freshwater resources.”

Senior officer ILES project Love Kumar said freshwater species and healthy rivers provided food and supported income-generation opportunities for local people.

He also cited a recent WWF report according to which a shocking 84pc of freshwater species populations had been lost due to multiple threats over the last 50 years. He warned that if this trend continued, most freshwater species would become extinct.

Speakers also shared problems being experienced in Karachi and said the city had witnessed rapid and uncontrolled expansion in population over the past three decades.

The city despite being the country’s financial hub faced an acute lack of robust planning and coordination among relevant departments, which had resulted in economic losses and damage to the infrastructure, they said.

The devastating rains of last month exposed Karachi’s vulnerabilities and it’s time that the government starts focusing on them.

The participants also suggested solutions to the many problems Karachi faced, one of which was to create a sense of city’s ownership. Relevant government departments and citizens, they said, should take mutual responsibility and start acting on issues, such as plastic pollution and end encroachments on drains.

They also suggested better water management practices and setting up waste-water treatment plants.

Published in Dawn, September 23rd, 2020