LAHORE: Pakistan’s live water storage capacity that used to be 16.26 million acre feet (MAF) in 1976 has reduced to 13.68MAF, which equals to only 30 days carryover capacity.

But the neighbouring India has carryover capacity of 170 days, Egypt has it for 700 days and America 900 days.

“We need to enhance our carryover water storage capacity from 30 to 120 days on an urgent basis. Likewise, the ratio of low-cost hydel electricity also requires to be drastically improved,” said Water and Power Development Authority General Manager (Hydrology and Water Management) Shahid Hameed while giving a briefing to a delegation of Pakistan Air Force War College (Karachi) at Wapda House on Monday.

The delegation was apprised that per capita water availability in Pakistan had come down from 5,650 cubic meter (in 1951) to an alarming level of 908 cubic meter per annum, pushing us to the stage of water-scarce country.

“Pakistan can store only 10pc of its annual river flows against the world average of 40pc. Ironically, instead of increasing water storage capacity, Pakistan has lost about one-fourth storage of the dams,” Mr Hameed told the delegation.

Later, PAF War College delegation headed by Group Captain Hashim Khan and Wapda Secretary Fakharuz Zaman Ali Cheema exchanged souvenirs as memento to the visit.

Published in Dawn, February 16th, 2021