Quetta city is facing an acute water shortage. This is because the groundwater level is depleting fast at 0.884 metre annually.

One major constraint in prioritising the discharge and recharge balance is the exploitation of groundwater for farming. According to the irrigation department, more than 5,000 private tube wells are being operated in Quetta and its surrounding districts.

Since Quetta has a limited resource of groundwater, the government should take steps to ensure that water extraction is kept at its minimum.

Nadeem Bangulzai

Quetta

Published in Dawn, January 29th, 2018