QUETTA: Environmentalists here on Thursday warned that scarcity of water as a result of depleting water table, would in future force citizens of Quetta to migrate to other parts of the country.

Environmental experts, policy makers, growers and members of civil society met in Quetta to discuss ways to find a solution to the problem of scarcity of water.

International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) organized a one day seminar to discuss the growing problem in Quetta and other parts of Balochistan, which is Pakistan's most resource-rich province but also least developed.

The speakers feared that scarcity of water would force citizens to migrate if delay and check dams were not constructed on an emergency basis around Quetta.

"If practical measures are not adopted then scarcity of water would force people to migrate," Aban Marker Kabraji, the Regional Director Asia IUCN told Dawn.com.

"History shows that people in the world have always abandoned cities due to scarcity of water," Kabraji said.

The participants of the seminar termed subsidy to tube wells as one of the major reasons behind depleting water table.

Abdul Rehman Bazai, a leader of growers community in Balochistan said that there were 15,660 legal tube wells in Balochistan.

He said the federal and provincial governments were paying Rs. 9 billion subsidy to Water and Power Development Authority for provision of power supply to growers in Balochistan.

However an official of Quetta Electric Supply Company, who requested anonymity, told Dawn.com that the number of illegal tube wells across the province was more than 15,000.

"Tube wells need to be shifted to solar energy from power supply to save energy," Bazai suggested to the provincial government.

The speakers emphasised the need for recharging of karezez and natural springs across Balochistan to ensure the flow of drinking water along with agriculture to the people.

"We have to think while using water because its as valuable as oil is," Marker added.

Secretary Irrigation Balochistan, Naseebullah Khan Bazai informed participants of the seminar that the province's share in Indus River was being denied by Sindh.

"We have Rs. 40 billion outstanding against Sindh government with regard to water issues," Bazai said.

He said Balochistan government has already approached the Inter-Provincial Coordination Committee with regard to the payment.

Bazai said there were 80 illegal outlets in Sindh which are side stealing water out of Balochistan's share of the Indus River.

Some speakers suggested the provincial government should lay a pipeline to ensure water supply from the Indus River to Quetta, in order to maintain the water table and avoid future migration.

They expressed concern over looming threats of climate change in Balochistan.

Faiz Kakar, a well-known environmentalist, said that historically the province was prone to three natural disasters i.e. droughts, flash floods and tsunami's.

The legislators, including provincial minister for planning and development Dr. Hamid Achakzai and Health Minister Rehmat Baloch, assured participants that the Balochistan government was preparing a comprehensive plan to overcome the issue of scarcity of water.