SARGODHA: Rapid decline in water table in Bhakkar district, especially in the Thal area, was noted with a deep concern in an official meeting in Bhakkar on Wednesday .

Briefing the meeting, officers of the relevant departments said that the water level was continuously going down in different areas of Thal which might pose serious threats to agriculture, availability of clean drinking water and ecological balance. Sargodha division Commissioner Hafiz Shaukat Ali directed that a comprehensive strategy be prepared on an emergency basis to restore the water table.

He urged the relevant institutions to take effective measures to conserve rainwater, initiate water recharge projects and prevent unnecessary water use. The meeting also emphasized that an awareness campaign should be launched among the public regarding water conservation so that water wastage could be reduced.

The commissioner said that the protection of natural resources was a shared responsibility of all of us and no negligence would be tolerated.

Bhakkar Deputy Commissioner Ehsan Ali Jamali and Director Agriculture of Sargodha joined the meeting via video link.

Groundwater in 30 districts of Punjab, including arid zones like Bhakkar, is disappearing at an `alarming rate’ due to unregulated tube wells, with 27 districts experiencing sharp declines.

WALL COLLAPSE: A child died after being buried under the rubble of a wall that collapsed after being hit by an out-of-control donkey cart.

According to the police, Muhammad Haseeb (3) died in the incident in a housing society in the Jhal Chakian area. His body was taken out of the rubble and shifted to the hospital.

Police reached the spot and were busy investigating.

Published in Dawn, May 7th, 2026