Authorities warn against water crises in Islamabad, Rawalpindi
Aug 26, 2021
Islamabad [Pakistan] August 26 : Pakistan's Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) has warned that people of Rawalpindi and Islamabad may face water crises in the coming weeks due to the 44 feet reduction in the water level of Khanpur Dam.
The water level in Khanpur Dam has dropped to 1938 feet against its capacity of 1982 feet, this is one of the major reservoirs of Pakistan that supplies water in these twin cities, The News International reported.
"The residents may face a complete stoppage of drinking water in the coming days," WASA warned here on Wednesday.
WASA Managing Director Raja Shaukat Mehmood has also said that authorities should undertake immediate actions to control the situation. He also said that water levels in the areas of Pirwadhai, Dhoke Mangtal, Dhoke Hassu, Sadiqabad, and Shamsabad have fallen to a dangerous level, The News International reported.
"It is difficult to provide water through tube wells, we are dependent on Khanpur Dam water supply," he added.
Meanwhile, authorities have deemed the low rainfall season as the major reason behind water scarcity in these two cities.
But in July, Pakistan's Parliamentary Secretary National Health Services, Nausheen Hamid had also informed that the country's per capita water availability has declined by 400 per cent from 5,600 cubic meters in 1947 to around 1,038 cubic meters in 2021.
Experts had also warned that a famine-like situation may arise in Pakistan due to the scarcity of water across the country if the issue is not resolved timely, Geo News reported.
As per the report, water scarcity in the country has set alarm bells ringing after rivers have dried up due to low rainfall.
Experts warn that if new water reservoirs are not created and water wastage is not stopped, Pakistan will face a famine-like situation.
In the month of March, a Washington-based magazine, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) placed Pakistan at the third position in the list of countries facing acute water scarcity.
