Like each time, recent moderate rains and flash floods in Sindh have resulted in high urban floods and the destruction of poorly constructed roads in rural parts. The majority of daily wagers and small farmers whose resilience was sapped from covid-19 related lockdowns, 2020 and 2021 flash floods and runaway inflation are hard hit. The urban daily wagers face the same problems of being confined to homes and suffering server crunch to their livelihood.
Flood has been a natural phenomenon. Generally speaking, moderate floods are necessary to recharge underground water, and spur spate irrigation in Thar, Kohistan, Kachho and other arid zones.
The blessing of moderate flood and moderate rains have been turned into blight. Assorted departments including relief commissioner, national, provincial and district disaster management Authorities, revenue and agriculture and irrigation departments as well as municipals and district governments only sprang to action after the flood and heavy rains made the lives and livelihood of the people difficult. Previously flooding was restricted to areas close to the river or areas in the catchment of torrential streams. But due to the recent spectator of urban floods, the cities and towns of Pakistan are also affected.
We have the best policies and institutional framework for pre and post-response to natural disasters but what is desperately lacking is the intention, will and dedication to implement these policies.
Following are a few simple action points that if heeded and implemented can work wonders: construction of small check dams and storage dams in the torrential stream catchment areas and water storage reservoirs in peripheries of main towns and cities to store and utilize water for agricultural and other uses. The government should proactively promote and strictly implement rainwater harvesting in households and at main points in rural and urban areas and use this water for agriculture in rural parts and kitchen gardening at the household level and for commercial uses in urban and suburban dwellings.
Construct roads, culverts and other water infrastructure on the model and best practices from other countries which can withstand flash floods and heavy rains and save the citizenry from disconnection for weeks and months
GULSHER PANHWER,
Johi.
Flood has been a natural phenomenon. Generally speaking, moderate floods are necessary to recharge underground water, and spur spate irrigation in Thar, Kohistan, Kachho and other arid zones.
The blessing of moderate flood and moderate rains have been turned into blight. Assorted departments including relief commissioner, national, provincial and district disaster management Authorities, revenue and agriculture and irrigation departments as well as municipals and district governments only sprang to action after the flood and heavy rains made the lives and livelihood of the people difficult. Previously flooding was restricted to areas close to the river or areas in the catchment of torrential streams. But due to the recent spectator of urban floods, the cities and towns of Pakistan are also affected.
We have the best policies and institutional framework for pre and post-response to natural disasters but what is desperately lacking is the intention, will and dedication to implement these policies.
Following are a few simple action points that if heeded and implemented can work wonders: construction of small check dams and storage dams in the torrential stream catchment areas and water storage reservoirs in peripheries of main towns and cities to store and utilize water for agricultural and other uses. The government should proactively promote and strictly implement rainwater harvesting in households and at main points in rural and urban areas and use this water for agriculture in rural parts and kitchen gardening at the household level and for commercial uses in urban and suburban dwellings.
Construct roads, culverts and other water infrastructure on the model and best practices from other countries which can withstand flash floods and heavy rains and save the citizenry from disconnection for weeks and months
GULSHER PANHWER,
Johi.
