BAHAWALPUR: Over 700 water ponds have dried up in Cholistan desert due to long dry spell, while remaining 400 hold a small quantity of drinking water.

A meeting chaired by Bahawalpur Deputy Commissioner Syed Hassan Raza took stock of the situation in the desert on Wednesday.

The meeting was informed that a majority of inhabitants had already moved to green areas for want of water and fodder for their animals.

They were being supplied with drinking water through a network of four pipelines. Beside, there are 90 under-ground water tanks called “kund” where the Cholistanis could store water for quite sometime.

In addition, four water tankers of the Cholistan Development Authority (CDA) were supplying drinking water to desert people while another eight new water bowsers were being purchased for the purpose.

The DC said under an emergency plan, people will be moved to greener places. He directed officials to ensure regular water supply to the people and negligence in this matter would not be tolerated. He said district administration would utilize all available resources to provide relief to the locals.

Published in Dawn, March 5th, 2026