Like other parts of the world, the Earth Day was celebrated in our country as well on April 22. For our country, the day holds special significance as our country is the worst victim of climate change effects which are unfolding very rapidly and are resulting in devastations in the forms of abnormal rains, flash floods, heatwaves and water scarcity in Pakistan.

Though the day was originated in 1970, but the world did not pay heed to this important subject and today a number of countries are reeling under the environmental degradations and our country is the worst affected.

It may be recalled here that it was on April 22, 1970, when the day originated when thousands of students gathered in dozens of universities across the United States to learn about the causes of environmental change. Gradually, other social organizations and church-related welfare groups also joined this caravan. On the occasion of the first Earth Day, approximately two million Americans (ten percent of the population) gathered in universities, parks, streets and community centers, and for the first time in the past 150 years, the negative effects of indiscriminate industrialization on human health began to be discussed in detail. This was the starting point of a global environmental movement.

As the world has witnessed that the proliferation of oil tankers, marine pollution, careless dumping of industrial, agricultural and human waste, harmful effects arising from excessive use of artificial fertilizers and agricultural drugs, adverse effects on the environment due to the construction of dams and highways and these activities. As a result, groups and organizations that were active in their own limited way on issues such as the existential threat to wildlife gradually came under the umbrella of the global environmental movement. It was due to the movement born from the first Earth Day that today, most of the governments across the country have established separate agency for environmental protection under the name of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and in our country we also have a full-fledged environment as well.

No major construction, industrial, mining or environmental impact project can be undertaken without EPA clearance as our country needs to be strict on the climate change impacts which are unfolding in Pakistan. The huge and unprecedented losses incurred due to climate change effects in Pakistan due to floods, abnormal rains, heatwaves and water scarcity are no secret. Yes, our country is among the seven pathfinder nations, who are facing climate risks. Pakistan is the worst victim of climate change effect. According to Climate Change Minister Sherry Rehman, climate change has become a matter of national security.

In fact, the countries which are contributing to the world’s pollutions that are resulting in Global warming which is an existential threat to the country must think over what they are doing to the humankind with their inept policies to not control the pollution level caused by them.

Our country is surrounded by high mountains in the south where the over 7200 glaciers melting due to Global warming and water from these mountains together with abnormal rains floods the rivers and cause flash flooding which leash a reign of total destruction upon the entire populations as evident from Chitral to KP, Sindh and Balochistan. In fact, Sindh and Balochistan are the worst affected as the rains started from here and they are still in grip of flash floods as the River Indus is still in high floods at various points.

In fact, the two months long monsoon rains in July and August last year were abnormal in nature and the subsequent flash floods were unprecedented in nature which can be gauged from the fact that it severely impacted over 33 million people, also resulting in more than 1,100 deaths of the people since the start of the deadly monsoon in June last.

It may be recalled here that the UN Secretary General  had termed the country’s catastrophic devastations as ‘ monsoon on steroids’ as  millions are impacted badly by this unprecedented calamity that is still ravaging as is evident from the devastations in Dadu and Bahn Saeedabad where the water from Manchar Lake has wreaked havoc with the localities around.

The River Indus was  in high floods in Sindh for weeks at various points and it took months the water level to subside in the River.

Millions of people are still reeling under the effects of last year floods with little to no food after losing their livelihoods, crops and livestock in the flash floods and being rendered shelter-less.

During to damage of standing food crops, the people still need food, health facilities for estimated 5.2 million flood affected people  in the country.

According to the data of the  National Disaster Management Authority, as many as  72 out of the total 160 districts of the country were calamity-hit while the number of affectees stand at over  33 million , who suffered massive losses including homes, livestock, standing crops.

Most disturbingly the water which was standing everywhere and which had also broken the infrastructure like the roads, bridges, barrages, railway tracks and highways also hampered the rescue and relief activities and hence only a high scale efforts  are needed whenever such a situation arises in future.

The summer is upon us and the country is fearing another abnormal spell of rains in monoon months in July and August and we need emergent health to thwart the danger this summer.

And this is not possible without the support of the UN and the world at large. 

As reported, more than a million houses were washed, over 160 bridges, and as many as 3,500 kilometers of roads across the country were washed away by flash floods and totally or partially destroyed during last year floods and this year, the people are gripped by fear as abnormal weather patterns have become a common occurrence in our country during the last decade.

Published in The Daily National Courier, April, 26 2023

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