National conference advocates free access to safe water for all

Islamabad:In a gathering of policymakers, researchers, farmers, and various stakeholders at a national water conference, a unanimous call was made for the free availability of clean and safe water for everyone, coupled with sustainable usage for agricultural practices.

The conference, themed ‘Water, People, and Equity: Building a Better Future for All,’ took place at a local hotel in Islamabad on Monday, organised by the Indus Consortium, an organisation dedicated to environmental and humanitarian causes, with the support of Oxfam and the Pakistan Agriculture Research Council (PARC).

Participants, which included representatives from academia, tail-end farmers, and government departments such as Indus River System Authority (IRSA), Sindh Water Sector and Barrage Improvement, Planning and Development (P&D), Sindh Irrigation and Drainage Authority (SIDA), Punjab Irrigation and Drainage Authority (PIDA), and other stakeholders from across the country, welcomed the Sindh Water Policy. They urged its swift implementation and expressed hopes for the development of similar policies in other provinces, with a particular emphasis on Punjab.

The Sindh Water Policy, largely shaped by input from tail-end and women farmers, is mostly based on recommendation to the government by the Indus Consortium. The organization worked closely with farmer communities at three canals in Sindh and Punjab: Akram Wah in Sindh, and Dajal Canal and Rangpur Canals in Punjab.

The participants passionately demanded not only safe and free drinking water but also sustainable agricultural practices for farmers across the country. Zarif Iqbal Khero, Chief Engineer, and Ex-Secretary Irrigation Sindh presented the session on Sindh Water Policy, the role of civil society and Indus Consortium, said that there was a programme for the implementation of the Sindh Water Policy and it would be improved. He said that sustainable management of water was a part of the policy.

He said Punjab was provided more water than its share in water accord while Sindh faced water scarcity issues. He said Punjab developed more canals and distributaries. He said Sindh had issues of sea intrusion as well, as there was the low discharge of water to Indus Delta.

He suggested that indigenous people should be included in the policy-making and development processes. Mehmood Nawaz Shah, President of the Sindh Abadgar Board, highlighted that the tail-end issue wasn't confined to distributary levels but extended to the provincial level, with Sindh suffering due to its position in the tail-end.

He stressed the importance of addressing three critical water-related issues: drinking water, irrigation water, and floodwater. Shah emphasized the need for strategic flood management and policy implementation. Dr Shahid Maqsood Gill, member Pakistan Agriculture Research Council (PARC), presided over the second session on "Water for Climate, Resilience, and Environment."

He emphasised the necessity of considering groundwater alongside surface water, noting excessive pumping in both Northern and Southern Punjab. Dr Gill advocated for policies that promote groundwater recharge and the mechanisation of industrial water treatment.

Mohammad Ehsan Leghari, Member Sindh, Indus River System Authority (IRSA), highlighted the environmental and economic impact of discharging wastewater into fresh water. Leghari pointed out a yearly loss of $2 billion due to the unavailability of water in the Indus Delta, stressing the responsibility to treat wastewater before its introduction into the Indus.

Dr Rasool Bux Mahar, Vice Chancellor of Benazir Bhutto Shaheed University of Technology and Skill Development (BBSUTSD), discussed the contamination of ground and surface waters. He suggested utilising treated wastewater for industries, emphasising natural methods of treatment.

Nazeer Ahmed Memon, Project Coordinator Directorate of Sindh Water Sector and Barrages Improvement, Government of Sindh, acknowledged the Indus Consortium's contributions to water governance reflected in the Sindh Water Policy draft. He urged urgent action against climate change, emphasising the limited time available.

Asim Jaffry, Country Program Lead at Fair Finance Pakistan, spoke about the inadequacy of climate financing related to water issues. He criticized the lack of commitment from wealthy nations in fulfilling their promises, stating that only 3 per cent of climate financing addresses water-related concerns despite 90 per cent of climate issues being water-related.

Dr. Ghulam Zakir Hassan Sial, Director IRI, Irrigation Department, Govt. of Punjab Lahore, discussed the complexities of managing groundwater resources within geological boundaries. The conference featured other speakers as well such as Liaqat Ali, Board Chairman Indus Consortium, Hussain Jarwar, CEO Indus Consortium, Dr Abdul Wahab Siyal, National Coordinator (Water Resources) PARC, Dr Ismail Kumbhar of Agriculture University Tandojam PARC, Humaira Jehanzeb, Team Lead of Living Indus Initiative, Obhayo Panhwar, a tail-end farmer from Badin, Zarin Gul Bibi, a woman farmer from Layyah, and Jamshaid Farid, Chairperson of READY Pakistan.