Water Pakistan

Proposed Declaration
SACOSAN 4, Sri Lanka.April 2011

The main idea is to trigger a virtual discussion, so as to have basic points of discussion at the conference.
The CSOs and CBOs of south Asia gathered here in Colombo, to reflect on sanitation scenario of the South Asia particularly Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan from the point of view of past-SACOSAN declarations and identify key issues and action strategies for achieving desired progress on sanitation.
The draft declaration that follows is the resultant out put of our deliberations here and several sessions of development organizations, convened back home in our countries with the stake holders
This document is the distillate of all these discussions and based on grass root inputs from the south Asian (SA) countries, it is hoped that this draft will find enough consideration, acceptance and reflected in the ministerial declaration.
The awareness and discussion taking place over the past two sessions of SACOSAN I & II, and the in between periods has led the people of SA to a better understanding of the issue, its importance vis-à-vis overall development (see annex open defecation and human development) and impact on human development (see annex water sanitation hygiene -Nexus).
This changed thinking is oblivious from the recommendations that takes a new look at the issues and the solutions.
Since the start of SACOSAN meetings , drinking water supply , quality and quantity has gone to the back burner.In order to acheive improvement in the quality of life of south Asians, it will be important to address water sanitation and Hygiene at the same time.
1.      We are convinced that lack of attention to our WATSAN issues is one of the major contributors to the disease, poverty, malnutrition, illiteracy and hence our backwardness.
2.      It will be cost effective to spend on WATSAN in the ratio of 1:9. Hence a very important area of development activity.
3.      We are convinced that the initiative being gigantic and expensive can only be handled in a phased manner. So rather than making big claims let us have doable and realistic targets till the next meeting in Sri Lanka.
4.      Flushing our shit downstream is no sanitation. Given that most of the domestic and Industrial waste water is mixed with Fresh Water or used as irrigation water for vegetable farms, without any treatment. This results in serious pollution to our fresh water sources both surface and ground water. Vegetables grown in these farms add to pathogenic recirculation in human and animals, if proper awareness and care is not there.
5.      The current practice of letting untreated domestic and industrial waste flow down stream is causing an increasing eco depletion of soil nutrients causing nutrient deficiency and extra financial burden on replenishing these nutrients. Additionally it is causing pollution downstream
6.      Looking at treatment of industrial, domestic waste, pipe laying, septic tanks standard plumbing fittings we find that most of these issues funnel down to lack of indigenous, viable technologies. Which eventually leads to the need of capacity building?
7.      We concur that establishing a centre of excellence in water Technologies (concept note with TORs) attached, will help the SA people develop viable solutions to our problems that we can afford and operate. Sharing our knowledge and experience sincerely will boost up our initiatives in solving the WATSAN issues.
8.      Hygiene awareness like washing hands with soap and
8.1 Providing soap for this purpose in schools, hospitals public toilets will be an         important initiative
8.2 Schools to be provided with clean drinking water and separate toilets.
8.3 In order to bring half of our population in main stream development process gender specific hygiene should be an important target of awareness and attention during this phase of action, till Sacosan IV.

Visit Link for more details.    http://www.waterpakistan.com/category/waste-water-treatment-solid-waste-hospital-waste-clts/

We in Pakistan have a forest cover of 3.90% of area as against standard of 25 % of area cover under the trees. Of late due to shortage of electricity and Gas dependence on wood and coal as fuel has increased thus putting an extra pressure on the trees survival.

Trees  support  precipitation, act as wind breaker, check sol erosion provide wood, fruits and medicines in addition to most important Oxygen for breathing.

To check extreme weather as climate change , if all of us in Pakistan plant one tree preferably a fruit tree and take care of it for an year, we stand rich by 180 million trees in 2011.

The plantation season is just a couple of weeks away, get ready and plant your tree. A fruit tree of your area will be a good choice. Like mango in Multan and Lokat in Kallar Kahar.

Planting Tree fruits in Grave Yards will be very successful experience and bring Sawab to the dear ones .

Good luck- Happy Planting

LAHORE: Senior Advisor to Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Zulfiqar Ali Khan Khosa has said that a comprehensive Punjab Water Policy would be evolved in order to provide clean drinking water to the people of the province and strategy, planning and financial resources would be made available for provision of clean drinking water.

He expressed these views during a briefing given by the Housing Urban Development and Public Health Engineering Department regarding Punjab Drinking Water Policy. Members Assembly, officers of Public Health Engineering, Finance and Environment Departments attended the meeting. Zulfiqar Ali Khosa said that after the 18th amendment, environment pollution is now the responsibility of the provinces and Punjab Assembly will undertake legislation for environmental pollution and specially provision of clean drinking water to the masses. The meeting was informed that polluted water is being used by a major chunk of the population in the province and poisonous articles of arsenic have been detected in the water of Lahore, Kasur, Multan, Rahim Yar Khan and Bahawalpur while one lakh and sixteen thousand children die every year in the province due to polluted water. Sardar Zulfiqar Khosa informed that provision of clean drinking water to the citizens is of fundamental importance and the participation of people in these schemes would be ensured and monitoring system of water supply schemes would be evolved. He further said that currently WASA and local government institutions are providing water while under Punjab Water Policy, WASA and other local government institutions would make investment for better storage facilities of water while water purification scheme would also be implemented with the cooperation of WASA.

Link   http://pmlni.com/newsRead.aspx?newsID=1624

A picture album of sanitation, waste water , solid waste , Hospital waste, animal waste, Hygiene , washing hands with soap in mosques facility, public toilets , mixing of untreated waste water in storm drains and water reservoirs.

Waste water treatment plant

Good for use in Publications and presentations. Mention credit while using.

Pakistan Sanitation / WASH Scenario-Tariq M Malik and M Jahangir, RDPI

After the draft of Federal drinking ware Act, draft Municipal Water Act for The Punjab province has been prepared. Lot of effort has gone in this document also.

Now Pakistan needs to Move

to have a concerted look into the existing WASH related documents, Like Drinking water Policy, Drinking Water standards , National Environment quality Standards NEQS,  National Sanitation Poliy, National Health Policy and distill a viable work Plan out of these documents.

This Focal Point can be established at Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Science and Technology and/ or UNICEF.

For details of Draft Legislation, Pl see this link

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=gmail&attid=0.1&thid=1285a64b612f2ad3&mt=application/msword&url=https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui%3D2%26ik%3Df2ea65bcd9%26view%3Datt%26th%3D1285a64b612f2ad3%26attid%3D0.1%26disp%3Dattd%26realattid%3Df_g8q838cj%26zw&sig=AHIEtbSHjVCLM_O2sDPopFhIAXUYu73Urw

Discussion on follow up is welcome

M Jahangir

Islamabad.