According to a recent study conducted by Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) 84% of Pakistan’s population does not have access to safe drinking water.
Minister for Science and Technology Rana Tanvir Hussain last month had told Senate that only 72pc of water supply schemes were found to be functional, and 84pc of those had supplied water that was not fit for consumption. He maintained that water from 14pc of water supply sources in Sindh and Punjab were found to be heavily contaminated with arsenic, well above the permissible limit of 50 parts per billion. While telling about the expenditure of government he said Rs279 million had been spent on the project of ‘Provision of Safe Drinking Water’ over the past four years. As part of the project, six regional water quality laboratories, under the PCRWR, had been upgraded and 17 new water quality testing laboratories had been established at the district level. Funds were also used on the capacity building of 3,000 professionals associated with water supply agencies.
Just a few decades ago Pakistan was a water rich country; however, but a recent World Bank Report mentioned that Pakistan is now among the 17 countries that are currently facing water shortage. Water is the most important and basic necessity for human life. Without water life can’t exist. Drinking contaminated water leads to diseases of various kinds. Because of the lack of clean drinking water, children are especially vulnerable to water-borne diseases such as diarrhea, worm infections, typhoid, and hepatitis A. Some of these diseases can have long term effects on physical, mental and educational development of children.
The issue of polluted drinking water and threat of scarcity of water indeed constitute one of the biggest challenges to the society. Adequate steps must be taken in the short run whereas long term planning is also required to counter the massive problem.
Water scarcity & unclean water pose major danger to citizens.
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