QUETTA (Dunya News) – Most parts of Balochistan are facing a severe water crisis, as groundwater levels continue to fall rapidly across the province, including the capital city Quetta and several surrounding districts.
Balochistan’s capital Quetta and its neighboring areas Mastung, Pishin, Kharan, Noshki, Qila Abdullah, and Chagai are currently experiencing acute water shortages. Experts report that the groundwater level is dropping by 3 to 4 feet every year, leaving thousands of acres of agricultural land barren across the province.
According to experts, Quetta and its surrounding areas once contributed over 20% of Balochistan’s total agricultural output, but that figure has now fallen to less than 10%. In most parts of Quetta, residents must drill as deep as 700 to 1,000 feet to access water.
There are currently over 30,000 tube wells installed in Quetta and its adjoining areas, half of which are not even registered in official records. These tube wells continue to extract groundwater unchecked, making water supply in many parts of the city a distant dream.
Experts have expressed grave concern over this worsening water crisis, warning that if immediate and effective measures are not taken, Quetta and its surrounding districts could turn completely barren in the coming years.