Poor water, sanitation quality costs kitty Rs 343b annually

Contaminated drinking water and insufficient sanitation facilities cost the national kitty Rs 343 billion annually in terms of ailments and environmental degradation. Experts at a Donors Debriefing Session, organized by the Ministry of Climate Change on Thursday, said that poor water quality and insufficient sanitation related losses that stood at Rs 112 in 2006 had increased to Rs 343 billion annually making that four percent of the GDP. Opening the session for discussion, Secretary Climate Change Mahmood Alam called upon the donors to help Pakistan execute water and sanitation related projects to meet its Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
He said that according to a World Bank Study of 2006, annual total environmental losses were recorded at Rs 365 billion with Rs 112 billion losses due to poor water quality and sanitation facilities.
“But, these losses have now risen to Rs 343 billion that incur on curing the water borne diseases like diarrhea, hepatitis, malaria and infant mortality caused by lack of proper water and sanitation system.”
Mentioning various commitments and measures taken by the government, the Secretary said that the government was embarking on the implementation of the National and Provincial Sanitation and Drinking Water policies.
“We have been successful in undertaking the UN initiative on Global Analysis and Assessment of Sanitation and Drinking Water (GLAAS),” he added.
Evolving workable strategies and policies that benefit poor villagers for whom the clean water and sanitation facilities remain a dream, were discussed.
In his concluding remarks, Director General Environment at Ministry of
Climate Change, Jawaid Ali Khan reiterated the government’s commitment to pursue the water and sanitation agenda at the global and regional level.
“The challenge is serious and we need to pool efforts to achieve MDG targets. This needs continued and concerted efforts.”
He said that the government valued its partners and would continue playing the role of a facilitator to accommodate them in their projects as much as possible.