Sewage dump in the once pristine Rawal Lake threatens the ecology of the region and human life

Sewage dump in the once pristine Rawal Lake threatens the ecology of the region and human life

According to the recent study conducted by the devolved Ministry of Environment and the environmental protection wing of the Capital Development Authority (CDA) Islamabad, the sewage contamination in the largest fresh water reservoir of the twin city, the
Rawal Lake, has now surged to an all-time high. The untreated water from various rural and suburban towns around the capital city directly pours into the lake which is used as a water source or the Rawalpindi. This untreated water, which mostly comprises sewage
from these towns, not only has decreased the oxygen content of the lake water but the lake also receives deadly spills and waste water from the poultry farms of Murree and adjoining areas.

“If you dip a 250 ml polythene glass into the lake you will extract 475 coliform per ml in it (coliform are bacteria present in human faeces). In most cases that is enough bacteria to put a person in hospital,” said an official at the CDA on the basis of
anonymity. “The situation is so bad that we have even found scabies mites in the water of the Rawal Lake,” he claims.

This sewage water, high in nitrogen and toxic chemicals, has dealt a severe blow to the flora and fauna of the lake and its catchment area. The lake water has now turned deep grey instead of the usual emerald green it once was a decade ago. This not only
indicates that the oxygen content of the lake water has severely deteriorated but also points to the fact that the rich natural life of the lake is also under threat.

“That explains the change in colour of the floor of the lake, which has turned from dark green to black to muddy brown. Even images from Google Earth show these changes,” said an environment expert with the devolved Ministry of Environment.

CDA, so far, has failed to keep a check on the illegal construction going on in the area surrounding the lake. Almost 60% of the sewage from these towns which include, Bari Imam, Bhara Kahu, Dhoke Chobhun, Simli Road and Madina Town finds its way into the
lake.

“While illegal construction and water contamination continues, they are busy preparing reports. Madina Colony in Bara Kahu is one of the worst examples of unauthorised housing societies where solid waste is overflowing on to the streets,” the official from
the Pakistan Environment Protection Agency (PAK-EPA) said.

Currently CDA draws water from its two major sources, the KhanPur dam located near HariPur and the Rawal Dam. While KhanPur lake still boosts as one of the cleanest fresh water reservoir in the region, Rawal Lake has suffered due to the massive increase
in population of the twin cities. Islamabad alone, has a current population standing at 230,000 plus and is expected to grow to 1 million by 2050. The city is also under severe water stress and the CDA has been strictly following water rationing strategy for
a few years. 

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Posted by Naveed A Bari on Dec 2 2011. Filed under Pakistan. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry