Pakistan Water Programme Policy Brief Part I: Policy Analysis in the Water Sector

2. Pakistan Water Programme Policy BriefPart IPolicy Analysis in the Water Sector Mirza Hamid Hasan 3 June 2014

3. Introduction • Pakistan is predominantly an agricultural country, heavily dependent on irrigation water. • Our food security and economic development both hinge upon adequate and timely availability of water. Water is our lifeline. • Due to rapid population growth our per capita water availability has come down from more than 5000 cum in 1951 to less than 1000 cum in 2013. Thus we are a water- scarce country now.

4. Introduction (Contd.)

5. Climate Change Impact • In addition to water scarcity caused by demography and economic development the phenomenon of climate change, by now well established and visible, is also posing serious challenges for water sector. • According to studies conducted for the UN by IPCC and for the World Bank by Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research and Climate Analytics, South Asia, including Pakistan, is one of the three most vulnerable regions in the world facing the climate change impacts.

6. Climate Change Impact (Contd.) • According to these studies potential impacts will include extreme river floods, tropical cyclones, rising sea level, high temperatures and severe droughts. • climate change shocks will severely affect food production and water availability and energy security. • Studies conducted specifically for Pakistan predicted following impacts : • Increased variability of monsoon rains and enhanced frequency and severity of extreme events such as floods and droughts.

7. Climate Change Impact (Contd.) • Severe water and heat stressed conditions in arid and semi arid regions, leading to reduced agriculture productivity and power generation. • Increased upstream intrusion of saline water in Indus Delta, adversely affecting coastal agriculture, mangroves and breeding ground for fish. • Although glaciers all over world have been receding over the past century, those in the Himalayas-Karakoram-Hindukush (HKH) region are receding faster than in any other part of the world. Note: It may however be mentioned that there are diverse reports and conclusions about glacial meting from different studies.

8. Need for Policy and Institutional Review • It is thus clear that the increasing water shortage and the impacts of climate change would require us to bring about major adjustments in our water resources management and irrigation and agricultural practices. • This would entail a review and analysis of the existing policies and institutions, and identification and highlighting of the gaps requiring to be filled.

9. Policy Review and Analysis Federal Policies 1. National Water Policy • The first draft of the Policy was ready by 2003. • It has been subjected to a number of reviews between 2005 and 2008. • The revised draft policy has been awaiting approval since then.

10. National Water Policy (contd.) • The draft Policy has identified the following areas in the water sector needing policy interventions, highlighting the issues faced by each area and suggesting policy initiatives to address the issues: • Integrated Planning and Development of Water Resources. • Irrigated Agriculture. • Municipal and Rural Water Supply and Sanitation. • Maintenance of Supply Systems. • Water for Industry.

11. National Water Policy (contd.) • Water for Hydropower • Water Rights and Allocations • Economic and Financial Management • Groundwater • Stakeholder Participation • Flood Management • Drought Management • Drainage and Reclamation • Water Quality • Wetlands, Ecology and Recreational Water

12. National Water Policy (contd.) • Information Management and Research • Transboundary Water Sharing • Institutional and Legal Aspects Policy Gap Analysis • The implementation of the Policy, when approved, would require considerable time and resources and will have to be undertaken in phases. • It is therefore necessary that the policy document is supported by a rough estimate of resources required for implementing it along with a phased plan of action with a timeframe.

13. National Water Policy (contd.) • In view of a serious lack of capacity for implementation the policy implementation would have to be preceded by a capacity building programme in the relevant institutions. Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) • Integrated Water Resources Management would involve close coordination and consultation with all the stakeholders in water and related sectors. • The best agency for such coordination would be Planning Commission at the time of project approval.

14. National Water Policy (contd.) • It has been proposed that in order to promote water conservation water should be considered as a social as well as economic resource. However, its cost should be consistent with affordability. • The policy should categorise the social and economic uses so that water could be priced accordingly.

15. National Water Policy (contd.) Irrigated Agriculture • Out of an average 104 MAF of river flows diverted for canal irrigation about 44.25 MAF is lost in conveyance and 26.26 MAF is lost in field applications. • The most important measure for checking canal transit losses is canal lining which is missing in the policy recommendations. • As regards water loss in field applications, its reduction would require very close coordination between Agriculture and Irrigation Departments.

16. National Water Policy (contd.) Maintenance of Irrigation System • Irrigation water must be priced at its real economic value so that revenue recovery from Aabiana is sufficient to at least meet the full O&M expenses of the irrigation system. The Policy should make a clear recommendation in this regard. • This is essential not only for generation of adequate resources for O&M but also for checking wastage of water.

17. National Water Policy (contd.) Stakeholder Participation • It has become very difficult to operate and maintain the irrigation infrastructure at a minimum desirable level of efficiency and good upkeep without effective participation of the farmers and their representatives. • The draft policy should spell out specific measures for putting in place an effective participatory mechanism, either by revival and strengthening of the existing set of PIDAs etc. or by suggesting the contours of a new structure.

18. National Water Policy (contd.) Construction of Storages for Hydropower and Irrigation • The need for construction of additional water reservoirs cannot be overemphasised. While the draft water policy takes notice of the inter-Provincial controversy over dam construction it does not propose any concrete strategy for resolving this serious issue. • Clear policy measures should be spelt out to remove mistrust and quickly build new reservoirs.

19. National Water Policy (contd.) Groundwater Management • Groundwater is now a major source of supply of irrigation and municipal water in the country. Most of the tubewells are owned and operated by the private sector. • The draft water policy talks of the need for a regulatory framework without indicating its basic contours.

20. National Water Policy (contd.) • There is need for a groundwater extraction and usage law, a groundwater regulation law providing for creation of a regulatory body, groundwater exploitation rules, and groundwater regulation rules, in every Province. • There is also a need for undertaking groundwater mapping, and monitoring of withdrawal and recharge in all GW areas in the country. WAPDA is perhaps best suited and equipped for this job.

21. National Water Policy (contd.) Flood Management • There is a need to plan and undertake flood protection and mitigation measures on a basin-wide and integrated manner. • This would involve planning, implementation and coordination across Provinces and across Federal and Provincial agencies. • A consolidated water law covering all areas including river basin management and flood management should be enacted by each Province, under the umbrella of a Federal water law.

22. National Water Policy (contd.) • A Flood Management Policy in consultation with Planning Commission, Provincial Governments, NDMA and other relevant organisations. • According as much importance to non-structural measures for flood prevention as to structural measures for flood prevention and protection. • The government’s flood management planning should be mainstreamed into its development policy.

23. National Water Policy (contd.) Drought Management • Many of the measures taken for flood management, such as construction of reservoirs and local rainwater harvesting and storage, are also helpful in drought management. • Judicious and sparing use of canal and groundwater during periods of drought, as well as the use of water efficient irrigation methods, are also important tools for drought management. • A comprehensive Drought Management Policy distinguishing between the peculiar needs of irrigated and non-irrigated areas should be prepared.

24. National Water Policy (contd.) Mainstreaming Disaster Management in Water Policy • The draft water policy should have a section devoted to climate change impacts on water availability for various water uses and necessary mitigating and adaptive measures. • The National Water Policy should also provide for a mandatory Climate Change Impact Assessment for every programme or project involving water resources management or water use on a large scale.

25. Policy Review and Analysis 2.National Climate Change Policy, 2012 • This Policy provides a framework for addressing the issues that Pakistan faces or will face in future due to climate change. • The Policy highlights the vulnerabilities of various sectors to climate change and spells out appropriate adaptation measures. These cover policy measures to address issues in vulnerable sectors such as water, agriculture, forestry, coastal areas, biodiversity and ecosystems etc.

26. Policy Review and AnalysisNational Climate Change Policy • In addition to the impacts already mentioned earlier the policy highlights the following additional impacts specific to Pakistan: • Increased siltation of major dams caused by more frequent and intense floods; • Further decrease in the already scanty forest cover, from too rapid change in climatic conditions to allow natural migration of adversely affected plant species; • Increased stress between upper riparian and lower riparian regions in relation to sharing of water resources.

27. Policy Review and Analysis (contd.)National Climate Change Policy • The policy recommends a number of adaptation measures aimed at protecting and enhancing our water security, food security and energy security. Water Security i. Water Storage and Infrastructure ii. Water Conservation Strategies iii. Integrated Water Resource Management iv. Legislative Framework v. Capacity Enhancement

28. Policy Review and Analysis (contd.)National Climate Change Policy • Food Security i. Agriculture Sector: The adaptation measures identified above for water security are equally applicable to the agriculture sector as they would directly benefit agriculture. ii. Other Measures: (a) Research in appropriate digital simulation models for assessment of climate change impacts on agriculture. (b) Application of technology to improve crop productivity per unit of land and per unit of water.

29. Policy Review and Analysis (contd.)National Climate Change Policy (c) Improving general management in the agriculture sector. (d) Developing Risk Management System like crop insurance, planting a variety of heat and drought resistant low delta crops, and agricultural drought management practices. Energy Security • Giving preferential status to the development of hydropower generation. • Promoting the development of renewable energy resources and technologies. • Promoting futuristic building designs with solar panels for energy self sufficiency.

30. Policy Review and Analysis (contd.)National Climate Change Policy • Planning expansion of nuclear power while ensuring the highest safety standards. Policy Analysis • National Climate Change Policy is peculiar in the sense that it cannot be implemented by the Ministry of Climate Change (MoCC) that has framed it because it does not deal with the sectors that would be facing climate change impacts. • Its implementation would be the responsibility of the institutions dealing with those sectors.

31. Policy Review and Analysis (contd.)National Climate Change Policy • It is therefore necessary that the concerned Ministries, Departments and agencies own this policy and integrate the relevant adaptation and mitigation measures identified in this Policy into their own sectoral policies. • The Ministry of Climate Change can only coordinate with them through Inter-Ministerial Committee on Climate Change.

32. Policy Review and Analysis (contd.) 3.National Drinking Water Policy, 2009 • The Policy was formulated by the then Ministry of Environment (Now Ministry of Climate Change) to lay down the broad policy principles and priorities for drinking water supply for the guidance of Provincial and Local Governments who are responsible for this service under the Constitution. Policy Gap Analysis • It is notable that the policy has also taken care of climate change impacts and disaster preparedness and response.

33. Policy Review and Analysis (contd.)National Drinking Water Policy • However an important point to be noted in this context is the expected increase in demand for domestic water due to population increase and extreme heat caused by global warming. • The of allocation for domestic use will therefore have to be increased by adjusting the share of irrigation water which is excessive at present.

34. Policy Review and Analysis (contd.)National Sanitation Policy 4.National Sanitation Policy, 2006 • The National Sanitation Policy basically provides a broad framework and policy guidelines to the Federal, Provincial and Local Governments to enhance and support sanitation coverage in the country. • The sanitation policy basically focuses on safe disposal of liquid and solid wastes. • The basic purpose of its provisions is to save water bodies from pollution and contamination by untreated sewage or toxic waste.

35. Policy Review and Analysis (contd.)National Sanitation Policy Policy Gap Analysis • Sanitation is a Provincial and local government responsibility. The Federal Policy is only meant to provide broad principles and guidelines for safe sanitation and coordination. • Therefore every Province should formulate its own Sanitation Policy to lay down detailed policy measures.

36. Policy Review and Analysis (contd.)National Environment Policy 5.National Environment Policy, 2005 • The National Environment Policy provides an overarching framework for addressing environmental issues, natural disasters and climate change, most of which are either directly related with or have an impact on water resources. • In this respect it is almost synchronous with the draft NWP.

37. Policy Review and Analysis (contd.) Provincial Policies Provincial Policies 1.Integrated Water Resources Management Policy, Balochistan, 2006 • Balochistan has taken a lead in developing a water policy of its own. • Balochistan’s IWRM Policy is designed to take care of the following peculiar features: • Balochistan receives 63% of its water from floods, 4% from groundwater and the rest from IBIS canals. • Excessive dependence on very limited quantity of groundwater.

38. Policy Review and Analysis (contd.)Integrated Water Resources Management Policy, Balochistan • Highly arid climate, scanty rainfall, very large land area and a small and scattered population. Policy Gap Analysis • The policy has not taken into consideration the climate change impacts of high temperatures and extreme events of floods and droughts. • The policy will have to take cognizance of the likely impacts and suggest policy measures for their prevention, adaptation and management.

39. Policy Review and Analysis (contd.)Punjab Urban Water and Sanitation Policy 2.Punjab Urban Water and Sanitation Policy, 2007 • The Policy intended to provide an overarching framework to guide and support provincial institutions, local government institutions, water utilities and communities for improving water and sanitation services. Policy Gap Analysis • The Policy does not suggest measures to address the WS&S issues identified in the policy document except in a couple of cases. • It does not identify and address the issues likely to arise from climate change.

40. . End of Part I Thank You

41. Part II Institutional Analysis in the Water Sector

42. Need for Institutional Analysis • Suitable modifications and adjustments would be required in the relevant institutions in the water, agriculture and allied sectors so as to equip them to adequately respond to the growing water scarcity, challenges posed by climate change as well as implementation of policy reform suggested in part I. • It is therefore necessary to carry out a review of the existing institutional framework and identify and highlight the gaps requiring to be filled for institutional strengthening.

43. Institutional Analysis Federal Institutions 1.Ministry of Water and Power • Ministry of Water and Power is the highest policy making body for the Water and Power Sectors. • The Ministry is headed by a Secretary who is assisted by two Additional Secretaries (AS) and six Joint Secretaries( JS). Out of them one AS (partially) and one JS deal with the water sector. This staffing pattern shows that this sector has been assigned a much lower priority than it deserves.

44. Institutional Analysis (contd.) Ministry of Water and Power • Consequently the functions of national level policy and planning of water resources suffer from lack of attention. Institutional Gap Analysis • The Ministry of Water and Power neither has a Policy nor a Planning wing. • There is no in-house technical capacity to perform these functions. • Similarly the Ministry does not have a dedicated section to undertake coordination with other Ministries or agencies dealing with water related matters.

45. Institutional Analysis (contd.) Ministry of Water and Power • The Ministry must have a Policy and Planning Wing (P&P Wing) to undertake policy and planning work at the national level and to render policy advice to national leadership. • The P&P Wing should be manned by qualified and competent technical professionals. • This Wing should also work as the secretariat of the National Water Council proposed in the draft National Water Policy. • The P&P Wing of the Ministry should also have a Water Coordination Cell (WCC) to perform the coordination functions with other organisations.

46. Institutional Analysis (contd.) Ministry of Water and Power 2.Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) • (WAPDA) was created in 1958 as a semi-autonomous body for the development of schemes in Water and Power sectors. • WAPDA has since been bifurcated into two distinct entities i.e. WAPDA and Pakistan Electric Power Company (PEPCO). WAPDA is now responsible only for water and hydropower development.

47. Institutional Analysis (contd.) Water and Power Development Authority • Institutional Gap Analysis • Over the years WAPDA had built-up a reservoir of technical know-how and expertise which had made it a talent pool of civil and electrical engineering. • However its technical capacity gradually started declining and has been considerably eroded by now. • Its capacity in planning, investigation and design has also been considerably reduced and most of its projects are now awarded to contractors on EPC basis.

48. Institutional Analysis (contd.) Water and Power Development Authority • Its Planning Division and Central Design Office need strengthening by inducting qualified and experienced professionals. • It also needs to strengthen its Environment Cell in order to process environmental and climatic data for more accurate forecast. 3. Office of Chief Engineering Advisor and Chairman Federal Flood Commission • The office of CEA and FFC has a dual role to perform- the CEA provides technical advice to the Ministry of Water and Power on projects in the fields of irrigation, drainage, dams, hydropower and allied engineering matters, and as Chairman FFC he deals with flood protection schemes and measures.

49. Institutional Analysis (contd.) Office of CEA and FFC Institutional Gap Analysis • The office of CEA is a lean unit with two engineers each under Engg Advisor (Power) and Engg Advisor (Civil) respectively. • But the team of two assigned to each advisor is not senior and experienced enough to critically appraise the projects or render meaningful advice on policy matters. • Also, being permanently located in that office they perhaps cannot acquire the necessary expertise and experience that comes from working hands-on in a field organisation.

50. Institutional Analysis (contd.)Office of CEA and FFC • It would be advisable to have some of the staff on deputation from other field offices to strengthen the CEA’s office. • The office of CEA may be assigned the following additional functions: • Monitoring of federally financed activities in the water sector. • Monitoring water sector programmes and projects with regard to Climate Change Impact Assessment. • Establishment of a national water database.