Environment Walk in Connection with World Environment Day

Environmental changes are posing a serious threat to the life in the term of increasing mercury, melting down of glaciers, intensified floods and drought. These views were expressed by UAF Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan while leading the environment walk and presiding over seminars organized by Institute of Soil & Environmental Sciences and Department of Structures & Environmental Engineering in connection with the world environment day here on Thursday. Dr. Iqrar Ahmad said that the situation needs to be dealt by enhanced efforts and giving awareness to the people to save the world from the devastation. He said Pakistan was highly vulnerable to climate change which is posing the threat to people. He said that University is working on various strong programs on climate change, water use efficiency, and environment. Deforestation and heavy emissions of smoke from industries are aggravating the situation. Dr. Ahmad said the air and water pollutions are not only becoming responsible for outbreak of many diseases but also damaging agricultural productivity and wildlife. He urged the scientists to introduce such crops resisting high temperature to fight climate changes and increasing carbon dioxide. Addressing the seminar on drinking water quality, issues in Pakistan, Prof. Dr. M. Anwar Baig from NUST said water is precious as the life is so we need to promote its judicious use. He said that Pakistani rivers are best in the world due to very low 250 to 300 TDS. He said the country is in the red zone in terms of per capita water availability that is shrinking by the each passing day. He said 21 out of 37 human diseases are related to poor water and sanitation. Referring to WHO estimates, he said that 80% of all sickness in the world attributed to the unsafe drinking water and sanitation. Dr. Zahid Masood Khan said that water and sanitation is the neglected sector in Pakistan despite of the fact that 20% hospital beds are occupied by the patients suffering water born diseases. He said that 84% Pakistanis do not treat their drinking water properly that causes various health issues to them. He said that unsafe drinking water is the prime cause of infant death in the country. He was of the view that contaminated water causes loss of biodiversity and ecosystem. He described Brain Eating Amoeba; a swimming pool virus - a new water born threat to the human population which causes 90% deaths to the victims. He said due to climate change and global warming, whole disease cycle is changed. Dr. Zahid told that in recent past in Ghulam Muhammad Abad Faisalabad, about 50 thousand people were hospitalized due to Diarrhia. Mrs Hifza Rasheed from PCRWR, Islamabad said that her organization had set up 24 water testing laboratories in the country but services of their staff need to be regularized. She said 15% urban and 18 percent rural population have the access to safe drinking water. Water supply agencies have an inadequate technical capacity, she added. She said that government is spending 0.3% of its GDP on water and sanitation which is very low in the region. She said 85% drinking water lines are providing safe drinking water due to mixed contamination. She told that her organization provided training to 3000 workers of water and sanitation agencies.