One Tube well Policy

Balochistan province comprises 47% of Pakistan by area and it has a mixed

landscape with large coasts, lofty mountainous peaks, vast deserts and plain
areas. Due to its vast spreading area, it has also got different weathers. There
are regions which receive snowfall in winter and regions that receive intense
rainfall during moon soon season, as well as areas with less rainfall.
Balochistan is always vulnerable to drought and ground water shortages. The
main source of income for the people of Balochistan has always been the
agriculture, and agriculture plays a crucial role in the well-being of the people.
Until near past, people used to utilize the flood water during rainy season and
used that water for agriculture and drinking purpose before the introduction of
tube well system.
Today, many countries are struggling to fight the menace of global warming
and its effects in the shape of depletion of ground water may cause an
irreparable damage for the inhabitants of this area, this factor may threaten
the existence of human lives of this area. There are certain examples in
Balochistan, where well settled population migrated to other areas, just
because of acute ground water shortages. Hardly, 8 to 10% of total population,
who own lands of Balochistan, especially, agricultural lands, makes their
earnings while rest of the total population either depends on daily wages or per
year contract.
By the virtue of mighty tribal system, with its unjust distribution and
ownership of lands, has further left the fortunes of this province into hands of
few strong, and they do manipulate the system according to their wishes and
desires. Since the day, agricultural system has been shifted on tube wells, a
great downfall in the ground water table has been observed. Consider the
example of my village, before utilization of tube wells, the water table was at
40ft depth and now within 20 years it has further went down up to 250ft only
in district Nushki.
More than five thousand tube wells are extracting the ground water day and
night without any limit. Yet no policy has been devised in this regard to control
the free flow of water, and no regulation has been put in place, what should be
the minimum distance between two wells. Unfortunately, here, after every 100
meter, there is a tube well. Another aspect that is widely debated is, whether,
the power connection has been sought legally or not? In conclusion, this trend
of extracting ground freely has endangered the future of entire population of
district.
Government must devise plans and do necessary legislations for the
preservation of ground water resources and must ensure all corrupt practices
are abandoned, or else this ruthless attitude may turn this province up into a
water scarcity which is already in the category of water stressed zones.
Government of Balochistan must take concrete steps towards limiting the use
of tube wells and confine it to “One family-One tube well policy”, this would be
a great service to the people of Balochistan, and this will guarantee life and
environment in this region.
[11/06/2019]