For every youngster who happens to be in Karachi, the Nixor Water Carnival, or the House of Dreams, happens to be an annual splash.
In previous years, the open-house fundraiser has been a massive success.
It has helped Nixor raise millions for charity – generating 2.1 million rupees in 2017 alone.
https://www.facebook.com/nixorstudio/videos/hod-2014/619611344759681/
And just like every year, Nixor is set to host the annual House of Dreams Water Carnival this year as well.
But amidst the acute water shortage that Karachi is facing, a student raised the following concern after Nixor College’s announcement regarding the carnival. The student claimed that ‘a profit-maximizing entity like Nixor finds a way to arrange an unsustainable event under the garb of, ironically, charity.’
Here’s the post:
According to reports by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR), Pakistan is set to reach absolute water scarcity by 2025. UN Humanitarian Coordinator, Pakistan, has stated that no person in Pakistan will be immune to this.
While a lot of factors come into play for this, our wasteful habits – when it comes to water – are also a major cause leading to this scarcity.
As a result, people are taking to social media to talk about how this carnival is rather insensitive.
People also took to Nixor House of Dreams’s official Facebook page to express their disappointment
Some suggested that they should consider alternate ways where they can use the resources to better help the community.
Or maybe help by planting trees.
And of course, jabs were taken at them for being so irresponsible
Following the outrage, a petition was opened up, addressed directly to Dean of Nixor College to look into the matter and cancel the event.
1500 people have signed the petition up till now and the numbers are rising by the second.
However, Nixor College seems to be aware of the water shortage, for they posted this:
One of their student entities, The Nixor Times, posted about how the “Nixor Hospital has taken the initiative of installing water pumps at Umerkot from funds raised by Nixor Food Festival.”
https://www.facebook.com/NixorTimes/videos/634749753578997/
The conflict of interest among Nixor College’s own entities, especially in regards of a national crisis seems to be pretty baffling, but the students of Karachi are hopeful to make a difference.
However, in an updated statement, the carnival is being ‘retooled to eliminate the use of water.’
https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=2002997109713157&id=100000086626923
Part of the statement reads:
“The HOD Carnival is being retooled to eliminate the use of water. Details of it will be available across social media. Any new path brings with it the uncertainty of the outcome. In the case of the HOD carnival, the stakes are high, the beneficiaries are real and their circumstances are dire. You have taken the right first step in being the driving force behind this change. The petition was a starting point and not the goal in itself. What started with a few clicks on our phones will make a positive impact only if we follow it through with our support to make this change successful.”
It’s interesting to see what changes will be made. However, kudos to all those who signed the petition. It’s great to see that our students care about the water crisis.
