MONEM FAROOQI
The century-old Punjab Irrigation Department (PID) lacks water-related disaster risks assessment capacity and is no more capable of managing diversified and complex water issues besides it has no capacity to operationalize emerging approaches such as integrated water resources management (IWRM) and disaster risk management (DRM).
A preliminary assessment report of Asian Development Bank (ADB) on Punjab capacity of water resources management, received by the Punjab government during the first week of December 2016, mentioned increased water-related disaster risks, including floods, droughts, and water quality degradation, which the department is unable to comprehend and manage.
“The comprehensive management of water resources and water-related disasters requires pragmatic approach to deal with integrated water resources management (IWRM) and water-related disaster risk management (DRM), which is completely nonexisting. “The IWRM and DRM are beyond the capacity of PID while playing its traditional role of irrigation water delivery. Further, cross-sector water management causes conflicts among the water users”.
The ADB initial assessment report, a copy available with Pakistan Today, mentioned that the partial measures taken over a period of time for irrigation reforms proposed by ADB and other partners from 1998 to 2013 were not successfully implemented. ‘Thus, an institutional review and a complete transformation of PID into a responsive water resources department (WRD) are required’, it added.
For agriculture, which encompasses irrigation (irrigated agriculture produces 90 per cent of the food in Pakistan), Punjab desperately needs rational development framework, reliable irrigation supplies, enhanced agricultural productivity, improved rural economy and broad-based institutional reforms.
The report mentioned that World Bank initiated irrigation and drainage reforms through sector investment project and policy loans besides Japan International Cooperation Agency also supported the implementation of irrigation reforms in some canal areas. ‘However, it is necessary to develop a framework and action plan for institutional transformation which could contribute to the sustainability of the investment programme’ the preliminary report mentioned and added that the bank initially could help in upgrading research and development facilities, capacity building, and a projects preparatory facility.
The report hardly found any measure taken by the Punjab government, which could increase water and food security, and reduce water related disaster risks through improved water policy and institution’s transformation.
The report also mentioned the lack of management’s outcome towards Punjab’s water resources and water-related disaster risks. The outcome should have been monitored through (i) the adoption of basin-based IWRM12 and water-related DRM approaches by the new WRD; and (ii) the approval of an act to enforce levies, cost recovery, and licensing practices by the Government of Punjab.
The report emphasises the need to achieve improved capacity of the WRD in (i) planning; (ii) developmental research and operational management; (iii) irrigation and drainage; (iv) water-related DRM; (v) river ecosystem; (vi) groundwater management; and (vii) marginal quality water management.
The report mentioning WRD pointed out the required modernisation of both institution and infrastructure, including laboratories, research, modeling, and water monitoring facilities; and advanced staff training on water resource planning, hydro-informatics, and climate change impacts.
The report underlined the need for comprehensive review of all the water-related sectors and subsectors; (ii) assess the transformation needs; (iii) identify technical and institutional gaps; (iv) advise on technical, institutional, and policy options; (v) develop new organizational structure of the WRD; and (vi) help stakeholders’ consultation and governmental approval processes.
The report highlights the need of preparing a water vision; (ii) carry out policy review; (iii) 10–20 years investment programmes and institutional transformation plans; (iv) process strengthening the institutional transformation; and (v) support capacity building, including promotion of the quality infrastructure investment.
The report highly recommends for developing a WRIS using satellite-based remote sensing technology and a geographic information system for cost-effective monitoring, evaluation, and management of the water resources.
The report mentioned that the Punjab Irrigation Department (PID) was established in 1849 for diverting water from rivers to farms for irrigation. Several changes have occurred in the irrigated area during the last six decades: (i) water-logging and salinity, causing land degradation; (ii) poor drainage, resulting in declined crop production; (iii) shallow groundwater that meets about 40 per cent of the irrigation water demand but is over-exploited; and (iv) increased water-related disaster risks, including floods, droughts, and water quality degradation. Over the same period, agricultural drainage, water-logging, and urban and industrial waste water have significantly increased the marginal-quality water, which needed appropriate management for safe use and disposal.
