The Senate Subcommittee on Climate Change convened today to address the alarming increase in fish deaths reported in 2023.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Director General Dr. Farzana Altaf briefed the committee, highlighting that pollution in water significantly raises Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD). COD measures the amount of dissolved oxygen needed to oxidize organic materials in water, such as oil and petroleum. Elevated COD levels indicate poor water quality and pose a threat to aquatic life.
“Increased COD kills small fish,” Dr. Altaf explained, linking it to fish deaths in 2024. She also addressed a past incident where water supply to Rawalpindi was halted following media reports alleging that poison had been added to the city’s water. She clarified that the fish deaths were caused by late monsoons and untreated water pollution.
“The water in Rawal Dam is polluted due to a lack of waste treatment systems for inflowing water from surrounding areas,” Dr. Altaf noted. While air quality management systems are being installed, she emphasized the absence of similar measures for water quality and called for stricter sewage water monitoring to combat pollution in Rawal Dam.
Senator Naseema Wani criticized the focus on aquatic life, stating, “You spoke about the death of fish, but not humans. Thousands of citizens are dying from water-borne diseases.”