QUETTA, July 24: The provincial government has banned new power connections for tubewells to control the falling water table in Balochistan.

"The ban would continue till further orders because the water table is falling," a meeting of the representatives of the provincial government, Zamindar Action Committee and Quetta Electricity Supply Company decided here on Saturday. Balochistan Chief Secretary Ashraf Nasar presided over the meeting.

The meeting discussed the falling water table and payment of outstanding electricity dues pending against farmers.

The meeting observed that ground water level was depleting owing to drought and sinking of thousands of tubewells destroying the Karez system in the province.

It was decided to place a complete ban on new power connections for tubewells in the province, till further orders.

Qesco Chief Executive Officer Brig Tassadaq Hussain informed the meeting that nearly Rs630 million electricity dues were pending against Balochistan farmers despite reaching an agreement with the federal minister for water and power last year.

He said 52 per cent of the farmers have not paid Rs20,000 dues from March to June 2004.

ELECTRICTY SUPPLY: Qesco will electrify 650 villages in the province during the current financial year.