resolving pAKISTAN’S eNVIRONMENTAL PROBLEM

 BRINGING CHANGE FROM THE BELOW


 Climate change
 Pakistan started with 33 million people living in villages, sowing crops and grazing their animals at the banks of meandering rivers. Cities were small and depended on the self-sustained countryside. But today, the population has reached the figure of 180 million (approx.). Add to it the Afghan refugees, who at one time have 
been counted 3 million. New lands have been brought under cultivation. The size of cities has grown and more urban centers — unsustainable — are emerging along the vast network of roads connecting big cities.The picture of Pakistan is not that rosy as for as environment is concerned.
Right now, Pakistan is swinging between droughts and floods causing people and communities move towards big cities. The country’s soil and waterways stand heavily populated. Waterborne diseases are common and on the rise. With forest area squeezed to bare 3.1 percent, mangroves destroyed and mountains snowless, the economy is not on stable grounds either.
Pakistan’s eco-system has become fragile. Sudden environmental events do happen. The flash floods of 2010 that swept away 20 million people and erratic rains afterwards have been hitting the urban centers the most. And there is found little interest on the part of civil society and the government to repair the environment. Pakistan has lost the gradual weather change system. The unfortunate part is this that there is hardly any awareness at any level.
No water, at all
The onset of this summer has witnessed protests in and around the federal capital of the country.  Three water reservoirs built to cater to the needs of the Capital, and the adjoining Rawalpindi, have gone dry. The city administration stood helpless and asked the people to pray for rains. Even if there are enough rains in monsoon, the dams will only deliver diseases; they stand polluted because of irresponsible tourism and one of them gets the polluted waters of the streams passing through Islamabad.  And it is the case for the whole of the country.
Water resources in Pakistan face a major stress due to their poor management in terms of storage and application along with increased demand to fulfill food and fiber requirements of rapidly growing population. The per capita water availability has already declined from 5260 m3 in 1951, 1700 m3 in 1992, 1400 m3 in 2000 and 964 m3 in 2014.
Scarcity of water is reality. Whatever is available is polluted
The rivers and watercourses are used as drainages. The sewerage of cities and towns as well as the industrial waste is directly released into them, which other than damaging aquatic life threatens the lives of the communities downstream consuming this water. The wastewater is also being used to irrigate vegetable farms, crops and gardens.
The irrational use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides in agriculture has contaminated soil and water, the both. Consequently, the food chain has become poisonous. So it is not the plentiful supply food but the quality food that matters for the health of the people. The burden of waterborne diseases majorly falls on the people at the lower rungs of the society. Poor hygienic conditions, unsafe drinking water and lack of quality food have raised the rates of stunted children in 23 districts of Sindh as high as 48%.

What can be done to repair the eco-system?

Since 2003, when Power99 was set into operation, environment dominates its editorial content. Other than covering a population of 30 million in Islamabad, KP and Punjab, we exchange programs with our partners across Pakistan through Radio News Network.  

·         There is need to undertake a sustained, knowledge-based awareness campaign to influence the decision-making process of the state for conservation of forests and water.

·         It is best time to secure commitments of political parties as they are about to start campaign for the upcoming general elections, due early next year. These commitments may figure atop their manifestos.
·         The reporting network needs to be extended to the grassroots level as the local governments are in place across Pakistan to restore forests. The demand for clean environment coming from the below will matter.
·         Power99 has the capacity and the will to organize training workshops especially for the reports from the print media to equip them with necessary tools to cover environment. It is fascinating idea to launch a small newspaper dedicated to environment with its bureaus at district level, across Pakistan to set an example.