Water pollution poses threat to fish, humans in Islamabad

ISLAMABAD: Senate Subcommittee on Climate Change met on Monday (today) to discuss the increased number of fish deaths recorded in 2023.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Director General Dr Farzana Altaf briefed the Committee.

“Any kind of pollution in water increases chemical oxygen demand (COD),” she stated.

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COD is the amount of dissolved oxygen that needs to be present in the water to oxidise chemical organic materials also present in the water body – such as oil or petroleum. Higher COD means that higher oxygen levels are needed to break down pollutants, which signals poor water quality. It can also be harmful to the aquatic life. COD is used to gauge the quality of the water, and the potential impact of effluents discharged into a water body.

Dr Farzana Altaf said that an increased amount of COD kills small fish, explaining the incidents of fish deaths in 2024. She also informed the committee that in the outgoing year, water supply to Rawalpindi was stopped due to news in the media.

“It was said in the media that poison was added to Rawalpindi’s water,” DG EPA said, adding that the fish died due to late monsoon and water pollution. “The water of Rawal Dam is polluted due to lack of waste treatment from water coming from surrounding areas,” she added.

She said that while air quality management systems are being installed, no system is being installed on water quality. “Sewage water monitoring should be strict to stop the [increasing pollution] in Rawal Dam,” she added.

Senator Naseema Wani, member of the subcommittee, said “You told about the death of fish, not humans. Thousands of citizens are dying from water-borne diseases.”

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EPA DG concurred, adding, “Water is polluted due to encroachments around Rawal Dam. The population of Bani Gala, Bari Imam, and Murree has crossed 400,000 people. [But] no sewage treatment plant has been installed in this area.” Dr Farzana Altaf said that a comprehensive plan is needed for this entire area.

The standing subcommittee then directed to test the water of Rawal Dam. The convener of the committee said that a sample of Rawalpindi’s water should also be tested.