Mobashar Ahmed
Water crisis is rocking Quetta, the capital city of Balochistan. The city where population is roundabout 3 million, water shortage is becoming a serious issue. Most of the water supplied to the city comes from the underground and the level has already fallen to about 1,500 feet and if the situation persists it is expected to decrease further.
Water scarcity generally in Balochistan and specifically in Quetta is caused by the poor management of available water resources and the absence of projects storing rainwater. Other causes include overuse of water, population growth, decreased rainfall, pollution and increased consumption of water. Uncontrolled and unprofessional drilling of tube wells is also the major cause of water shortage. Throughout the world drilling is carried out by experienced geoscientists according to tube well principles but ironically, most drilling agencies either public or private never consider this important aspect in the province. Bulk of illegally drilled tube wells has played a vital role in the declining of underground water level.
The leaks, rusty water pipes and unlawful usage of more than single water connection problems worsen the situation. More than half of the city’s water is lost through lousy infrastructure.
As a result tanker mafia in the city takes advantage of the need and has expanded their business as people are compelled to purchase water at heavy prices. A single tanker of water costs about Rs. 1,000 to 3,000 which results in extra financial burden on consumers.
The city’s infrastructure is constantly expanding with the construction of new buildings, plazas and flyovers. This increase is making the demand for water surge even further. If the Government is serious in solving the problem then it must give a pause to any new housing schemes and a policy for water distribution should be formed for the city. Save water awareness campaigns should be initiated on print and social media. Construction of dams is the need of the day in order to increase underground water level.
The challenge we face now is how to effectively conserve, manage, and distribute the water we have and store more. We must prove to be efficient water users because wherever we are, we need water to survive.
Writer is a student at UET and blogs about everything at https://makachakzai.wordpress.com
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