I AM from Balochistan where there is no river which runs entire year. Except the Bolan River, all other rivers are seasonal. Overall, Balochistan depends on rainwater and underground water resources. While there are already water shortages, water wastage is compounding the misery. This has been going on for decades. Since tube wells replaced the old karez system and water wells, the region is moving towards devastation.

Today each and every household owns several tube wells. There are many ‘nawabs’ and ‘sardars’ having hundreds of legal and illegal tube wells. Whoever has enough money and a small piece of land drills the earth and sucks the water out of it because there is no rule of law.

There is competition among drilling companies. They are the only beneficiaries. The government must launch a crackdown against these companies and should not allow anyone to work without a no objection certificate from the government.

Unfortunately, there is no body or authority to stop them from wasting water by excessive drilling. According to a survey, three decades ago, the water level was 30 feet underground and today it is at 400 to 1,000 feet.

No doubt building new dams is essential, but isn’t conserving water equally important?

There is a need to establish a task force and a water commission for conserving water resources. There should be a new legislation for this purpose.

There should be a ‘one tube well for one home policy’.

Aamir Khan Badini
Noshki

Published in Dawn, October 19th, 2018