Averting Crises

The new government would have to do something out of the world to provide any relief to the masses

By Dr Noman Ahmed

As the new government took charge of the country, it found itself surrounded by many crises of chronic nature. The carry-over wheat crisis has affected a vast majority of the population in the most serious manner. With the retail prices of flour reaching Rs 35 per kg in some areas, the common people are finding it hard to survive. Other food commodities have also experienced a supplementary price hike because of the transfer of peripheral consumption load after the wheat shortage. The global increase in oil prices could no longer be contained by the new government. In less than a month, therefore, petroleum products have experienced an increase of more than Rs 15 per litre.

Consequently, the cost of almost all the daily use commodities has escalated. People are finding it difficult to commute from their places of residence to work, due to the rising fares. Electricity is another essential service that is conspicuous by its precarious access. Exponentially rising demand has already put an extraordinary load on the dwindling production potential and distribution companies. From domestic consumers to commercial and industrial users, the level of service across the country has failed to scale up to the desired capacity. As per the statements and review of power generation statistics, no respite is likely to follow in the near future.

Besides these main bones of contention, there are perpetual issues of poor governance, and diminishing capacity of the administration to maintain law and order. Other crises that keep resurfacing are that of milk in Karachi of drinking water in other parts of the country. The new government has shifted the entire blame on its predecessors. This may be partly true, but there are deeper issues that have simmered for long and must be addressed without delay.

One of the crucial issues is our settlement pattern. Our cities have grown in a haywire manner. This growth is mostly sprawling in nature, which renders these settlements entirely inefficient. The average number of people living per acre in Pakistani cities is 160-180. This factor alone causes serious repercussions on the overall performance of people and the city itself. High capital and operating cost of infrastructure, inefficient use of urban infrastructure, weak threshold for a public transport system and unnecessary utilisation of very precious urban (and even agricultural) land are some outcomes. Conversion of land is entirely unregulated, be it Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Quetta or Murree.

The loss of fertile farm land to haywire urban developments is fallout of unregulated settlement patterns. Examples of outskirts of Lahore, Faisalabad and many other cities in Punjab can be cited in this regard. It is estimated that about 1,000 hectares of precious farmland is occupied annually under dubious housing and urban development schemes. In Karachi, the coastal belt is under constant threat of transformation into high density, high-rise development of outlandish nature. The recently launched real estate developments have also acutely affected subsistence fisherfolk.

Various studies show that about 30 million people in Pakistan belong to middle- and upper-income groups. These classes have evolved into a high consumerist clientelle, with demands similar to those in developed countries. The dilemma is that the country does not have the means to support high-consumption lifestyles. Cosy residences with accessories -- such as plush lawns and swimming pools; motor cars and fancy vehicles; exotic malls and eateries; holiday resorts; and club houses and golf courses -- are some of the standard requirements. Scarcity of basic resources and urban services, and technologies for supporting high lifestyles are impediments in the fulfillment of these wild desires.

But the pressure to make the most of available proportion of resources creates crucial imbalances. For instance, Karachi accounts for 1.7 million vehicles. Limited road space, poor traffic management and uneven land use renders the performance of most of these vehicles ineffective. In the wake of soaring fuel prices, there is likelihood of some reduction in the work trips generated by these cars and motorcycles. The city district government of Karachi has not been able to increase the number of buses and mini-buses to the level of minimum threshold. Unless mobility and locational disadvantages are not removed, neither the middle nor the lower middle classes will be able to effectively survive. The cities generate sewerage and solid waste amounting to millions of gallons and tonnes respectively. However, efficient disposal and utility is yet to be found. Such deficient scenarios are likely to brew the kinds of crises faced by us.

High-grade lifestyles demand befitting technological solutions. There is no harm in dwelling in air-conditioned environments or vehicles. But it can only make sense when appropriate means are created for making it happen. We possess serious deficiencies with regard to city and regional planning, project preparation and execution, and project implementation and operation. The road and highway infrastructure is an example. Soon after completion, the maintenance begins due to wear and tear. Thus the expected benefits fail to accrue despite hefty expenditures. Capacity to introduce time-tested scientific solutions is hardly available.

Biogas-based power generation is another example. Pakistan is among the top five milk-producing countries in the world. But not a single megawatt of electricity is generated nor fertiliser produced from the millions of tonnes of cow dung produced every day. The Alternative Energy Development Board began a joint venture in Landhi Cattle Colony, Karachi, with the assistance of New Zealand Aid, but it has yet to begin production despite lapse of many months. Cogeneration is another technology that transforms heat from solid waste-based incinerators into electricity. Our power-starved cities can greatly benefit from this simple technology. What we require is scientific project designs, execution and management.

Food production for urban dwellers is no more the task of hinterland alone. The world of today has switched to urban agriculture as a sustainable choice. This accounts for uninterrupted supplies of milk, meat, vegetables and fruits. The methods developed so far have provided solutions to a variety of climatic / soil combinations. Many cities in Latin American and South East Asia have resorted to this effective approach. It must be taken into account that the world is facing a price upsurge of agro-commodities, and the experts have predicted a likelihood of a continuous rise in this trend.

In this backdrop, the urban agriculture can surely become a useful employment choice for the idle workforce. The basic pre-requisites that need to be fulfilled include a threshold analysis of available land parcels, waste lands and sub-urban lands; hydro-geological analysis to ascertain ground water resources; recycling of urban waste water; cropping studies; and need analysis for consumption. Pakistan has more than 500 cities. If this approach is incrementally applied in selected locations, it will surely lead to positive results.

A few types of mega projects are vital for our large- and medium-sized cities. Creation of bus rapid transit system with enhanced efficiency, fare incentives and proportional level of comfort is a top priority. The government must facilitate the reduction in work trips through cars and motorcycles by public transport. In order to take stakeholders on board, the auto manufacturers may be given incentives to participate in this national cause. Improved quality of school buses can greatly reduce private car trips to and from schools. For energy conservation, construction and management techniques can be appropriately applied. It is demonstrated that by scientific design and insulation methods, about 35 per cent of electricity consumption can be avoided. Whereas new plants can bolster the energy sector, savings and conservation can always have a long-lasting effect.

Courtesy: The News Pakistan