To date, everyone in Pakistan who watches television should know the science and the interrelation of clouds and glacial bursting, sudden floods, deforestation and landslide, hope that the difference between the Cusec as a measurement of quantum and therefore intensity, and MAF as a volume of water that crosses our rivers, floods or without floods. And if you know the science, you must also know the consequences, disaster and loss associated with such levels of water flow. It is also necessary to be able to place in perspective the policy associated with the question of water between the provinces or between the states or the irony of it.
Here is a little more science – in fact there is much more but I do not want to charge you; That this is in the field of specialists. The water flow in our rivers has reduced to around 100 MAF per year, passing by 135 MAF that they transported in 1947. Demographic growth and the reduction of flow together pushed Pakistan into the category of rare water. Of the 100 MAF Pakistan stores only 16 MAF in its dams and tanks which is abyssal.
According to an estimate, this year with excessive precipitation in the watershed areas, increased by clouds and a gust, the water flowing or spread through our rivers will be around 185-195 MAF. Almost double the amount generally transported. Unfortunately, this will cause, and has already caused precious loss of life, the house and the home, livestock and the devastation of crops that were cultivated, causing a cumulative loss of billions of dollars of emergency, rehabilitation, recovery and economic loss, making shortcomings in food, health and export. In addition, almost all waters will flow in the ocean – none is preserved and stored, because we do not have storage facilities – or will be inactive in perfectly good agricultural fields which run brackish over time and by dirtying our land. It is a quadruple Whammy.
And yet, we may not have seen such a consequence. Most, if not all, is done by unfavorable human intervention and even weaker leadership that has constantly failed to understand the challenges that are watching us now and have caused immense devastation. Science must emerge the art of management as well as leadership, but only if the science of it is first understood. 185 MAF The flow rate in rivers will in any case be too useful to transport for a river system if the inherent capacity is much lower, but there is a case to make for appropriate infrastructures to manage and control the flow of floods.
Usually, rivers are only a flow during most of the year. Is there a case allowing dredging controlled by construction companies and manufacturers to remove the layers of sand which almost filled the rivers to their upper edges where the water above the retention capacity will spread? Likewise, embankments can be deepened and reinforced to contain the flow of water. Just as we deduce the canals out of season, whether it is also a recurring work on rivers. Gradual improvement will help to alleviate super-injury.
Then comes to channel the water flow. There was a huge fury to dig Thar’s channels in the parish characterization of a common national asset. Just as we have postponed what we have postponed the thought of the Kalabagh dam to our consideration, we have given up digging more canals.
The Sutlej has come to life in a fierce return and remains the fury river because the others tended to settle. With a channel system for and through Thar, it would have made a perfect reserve of water. In addition, this would become a land and cultivable over time with the right treatment. Of course, the canals would take a long time and the waters would have done what they did through the channels that exist at this time, but as the climate threatens perpetually, there will be more deludes. Maybe we will be able to better store and save better and be better and rationally ready to alleviate loss and use it as an opportunity to benefit from.
Thar’s channels will always be in Thar and should be designed to transport and distribute water when even Industs can keep it on its banks. Climate change will make it possible more often than us. Shouldn’t Bane turn into a boon with little innovation and get out of stereotypical channels? Dams, tanks and canals remain the main sources of flooding and water storage. They must remain our highest priority for the floods which will now be the routine.
Urban floods are the result of unlanned urban growth without compatible infrastructure. Our roads, our water and our electricity and our sewer infrastructure in cities can only maintain so many people. Our cities only increased by multiple exceeding their capacity. Karachi is an excellent example. It will be very difficult to dislodge people now, but whatever the main arteries of water and wastewater will require a seasonal clearing to keep them functional and run. These are known stages but are never paid attention by the municipal authorities. Even routine administrative function can guarantee that this little one is done.
Subsequently, over time, the planned distribution of the populations who search our points of the city must be relocated. The infrastructure to support such a dislocation must be built in parallel. Rural migration to urban should be slowed down. For this, money must be spent fairly in all areas to allow growth and employment opportunities closer to population points.
Climate change is a constant. It does not disappear. It will define the environment in which humanity will have to coexist. It will rain even more next year and will cause more severe floods. The infrastructure will take time to develop. In the meantime, what will be our flood attenuation strategy with what we have? Can we set up improved water aquifers to channel urban floods in usable storage, at least in Lahore where a kind of rudimentary infrastructure exists?
Institutions such as the flood control commission or a similar entity as well as authorities for the management and attenuation of disasters and better conducted better at the federal and provincial levels must be established. It can be improved later to include all types of contingencies requiring rescue and emergency rescue measures. It should be a specialized entities led by specialists. We have played sufficiently while keeping the generalists at the head of our bureaucracy. It’s time to make this change.
We do not miss resources or structures, just over time, we let these structures decompose with inattention and lack of control to keep those relevant. It is time to reorganize the entire paradigm of governance if we must maintain the integrity and relevance of the government with the Pakistani people. We cannot give them health or education, we should at least be able to save their lives when disasters strike.
