The water crisis is genuine and it will get worse if not dealt promptly. We are no doubt at the verge of chaos and mess, and this is why mismanagement could be our last mistake. Pakistan being a developing nation has always followed the global trends. Gone the days, when we used to initiate the projects. Now, like every other nation in debt to IMF is following the command and so is Pakistan. But should we follow blindfolded or should we reconsider?
In 2011 USA demolished its largest dam on Elwha River, so the river could thrive. Building up dams ensure the water storage but it endangers the ecosystem. In the short run, it can be a solution but in the long run, it threatens the very existence of the entire ecosystem. After the uproar from many environmental activists, NGOs, and eco-scientist, Europe also took the initiative to demolish its water storage facilities. Over the past 20–25 years, at least 5,000 small dams, weirs, and culverts have been removed from rivers in France, Sweden, Finland, Spain, and the United Kingdom.
We are in a dire need of water storage facilities. Mainly because of our geopolitical scenarios. Like the USA or Europe, our trans-river issues are not much resolved but here we cannot undermine the fact that each construction needs millions and millions of Rupees of nation’s wealth. That needs the finest planning. Being a nation, we cannot afford to reinvest bucks of money to resolve one problem. Hence we need a smart water management system that includes dams and canal system, without endangering the eco-cycle. With rising global warming, living at the foot of the world’s second-biggest glaciers, our water management needs a decent amount of homework in the shortest possible time.