LAHORE: Sartaj Aziz has said that the best way to meet the challenge of Climate Change is to build as many large and small water storages as possible.
Addressing the 4th international water conference at the Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR), in Islamabad, the Deputy Chairman Planning Commission on Tuesday that in years of floods the dams store surplus water and reduces the impact of floods whereas in years of droughts the stored water can mitigate the effects of low rainfall.
Sartaj Aziz said it is unfortunate that the construction of water storage dams has become so controversial. But the challenge of climate change so serious that it should persuade the political leadership to achieve a consensus on water storages not only for sustainable development but for the very survival of the country.
He said that according to the recent census Pakistan’s population growth rate is 2.4%. In the 11th Five Year Plan (2013-2018) the planning commission estimates for food security, health and education was based on the forecast of 2% population growth rate. This new estimate is a cause for serious concern.
At the time of partition per capita, water availability in Pakistan was 5000 cubic meters which has now declined to 1000 cubic meters per capita that classifies Pakistan as a water scarce country. The projected population on the basis of 2.4% will further jeopardize Pakistan’s water security unless we conserve the available water by growing less water-intensive crops, treating effluence before discharge and giving up lifestyle and habits that waste water.
Sartaj Aziz expressed the hope that the recommendations emerging from this conference will be useful in formulating policies and recommendations for water security in the 12th Five Year Plan.
