Widespread snowfall rejuvenate glaciers, water sources in North Khyber Pakthunkhwa: Expert
KALAM (APP): The widespread snowfall along with heavy torrential rains has rejuvenated thousands of glaciers and water sources in northern districts of Khyber Pakthunkhwa, experts said.
Besides Upper South Waziristan, North Waziristan, Kurram, Orakzai and Bajaur tribal districts, the northern Khyber Pakthunkhwa including Swat, Dir, Chitral, Shangla and Buner districts received substantial snowfall over its hills on last Sunday-Monday, breaking the months long dry spell besides invigorated lives of large and small glaciers besides water sources including dams and water reservoirs in these areas of Pakistan.
According to Met Office, the upper northern districts of Khyber Pakthunkhwa has received heavy snowfall during last 24 hours. Kalam has received maximum 16.5 inch snowfall followed by Chitral, Drosh 12 inch, Malam Jabba Swat 8 inch, Chitral 7.6 inch and Dir 2.5 inch respectively.
Tauheedul Haq, former Conservator of Forests and Water expert told APP on Tuesday that the recent widespread snowfall would significantly help increase life of glaciers, dams and waterfalls especially in Northern Pakistan.
He said Pakistan was blessed with over 7,253 glaciers providing fresh water supplies to millions of people for irrigation, drinking and industrial purposes through the Indus River besides controlling water table and floods.
Mostly located in Himalaya, Hindukash and Karkuram regions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit Baltistan, he said these glaciers were a distinctive source of freshwater for agriculture, irrigation, drinking and industrial supplies to millions of people, agriculturists, farmers and industrialists living in those regions and downstream upto Ķarachi through might river Indus.
Besides 2,253 mighty, medium and small glaciers, including Baltoro (63km), Biafo (67km), Batura (57km) found in Gilgit Baltistan, he said the Khyber Pakthunkhwa’s Upper Chitral district was blessed with around 500 glaciers especially at Trichmir mountains ranges providing freshwater to Khyber Pakthunkhwa, Punjab and Sindh provinces through rivers Swat, Panjokra, Kabul and Indus throughout the year.
“Pakistan contains more glaciers than any other parts of earth outside of the polar region. Our irrigation network has largely depended on these glaciers that continuously re-charge our irrigated system in all provinces,’ said Tauheedul Haq.
He said Pakistan, which was vulnerable to climate change, relied mostly on these glaciers for its water besides controlling the rise of temperature and global warming. ‘”The rise of global temperatures and greenhouse gas emissions have put Pakistan under a risk of natural calamities, heatwaves, droughts, floods, and fast melting glaciers.”
Taheedul Haq said that Pakistan was highly susceptible to climate change- induced weather patterns including rising temperatures, unpredictable rains and floods besides fast melting of glaciers in Gilgit Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa that could be tackled through a huge plantation.
He said the country was heading towards a situation of water shortage and food insecurity due to fast melting of glaciers, poor investment in agriculture, flooding, rapid population growth, water loss by car stations besides deforestation and high population bulge.
Citing the National Water Policy 2018 report which revealed that the per capita surface water availability has declined from 5,260 cubic meters per year in 1951 to around 1,000 cubic meters in 2016, he said this quantity was likely to further drop to about 860 cubic meters in next few years, marking our transition from a “water stressed” to a “water scarce” country.
He said the minimum water requirement to avoid food and health implications of water scarcity was 1,000 cubic meters per capita per year and the situation underlined the need for rapid development and management of the country’s water resources especially completion of construction of large and small dams including Mohmand and Diamir Bhasha besides Kurram Tangi dam to conserve the precious water for future generation.
He said Pakistan’s average annual rainfall was ranging between 400milimeter (mm) to 1000mm while snowfall ranged about 60 inches that could be increased by bringing more areas under forestry cover especially in high alpasture and glaciers zones.
Tauheed said forestry cover in the country was around five percent, which was low compared to 25percent international standard and bringing mountainous areas under afforestation through farm forestry and enclosures would help minimize melting of glaciers in the country.
Khyber Pakthunkhwa Forest Department’s spokesman told APP that recent snowfall was important for conservation of water besides maintaining water table important for afforestation drives. He said that 12 million saplings of various species would be planted during spring season in the province.
He said students, farmers and village development committees besides officials of national building departments were being involved to achieve the set target under spring afforestation campaign in KP.
He said about five million saplings would be planted in central southern region 1 including Peshawar, Mardan, Swabi, Charsadda and southern districts of Khyber Pakthunkhwa.
He said that 3.806 million saplings would be sown in Malakand Forest Region III Swat including Shangla, Buner, Malakand, Chitral and Dir districts where usher and mass plantation would also be carried out.
The barren lands and rugged mountains of merged tribal districts would also be utilized to achieve the set afforestation targets with cooperation of relevant departments and tribal elders.
He said that tribal people were being encouraged to approach divisional forest officers offices in their respective districts for obtaining plants for plantations.
He said that if every person plants at least two plants in a year and looks after it then 480 million saplings would be planted in one calendar year.
The official said tree plantation was a continued charity and urged the public to take part in the spring afforestation drive to make the province lush green besides controlling fast melting of glaciers and effects of climate change.
