Pakistan is involved in a series of crisis, be it raging terrorism, shortage of gas, power and funds etc but shortage of water is scarcely felt and mentioned. However the key to ensure sustainable progress lies in preserving and exploiting our hydel resources, be it in the form of building water reservoirs in the form of hydroelectric dams to generate cheap power and store water or in preserving rainwater that is wasted into the sea each year due to lack of storage facilities. India is steadily building dams on our three rivers of Indus, Jhelum and Chenab while we are smugly sitting on our haunches closing our eyes like a pigeon seeing a cat.
The inexcusable ignorance about water issues can be equated with criminal intent but the authorities and judiciary take no notice at all of the looming shortages of water that are accentuating by the day. Water is the source of all life and in our times is responsible for development of agriculture as also industry by providing water and affordable power. When our rulers unfurl projects of imported coal fired plants before our eyes, they don’t mention the cost of production of power given the kickbacks involved in imported coal that has become the nemesis of every project based on imported fuel or coal that has become endemic in Pakistan. Do we have the will to rectify our erroneous plans for power generation?
DR MUHAMMAD YAQOOB BHATTI
Lahore
