KARACHI:
The citizens of Gwadar have long been deprived of water and because of this, they are facing very many complex issues. The situation has further deteriorated due to high levels of rain and flash floods that have ravaged many parts of the province of Balochistan. Approximately 70% of the population of Balochistan has been affected by acute water shortages. And Gwadar has been at the forefront of this water crisis. Shortage of water threatens the livelihoods of citizens.
The Ankara dam was built in 1994 to facilitate a population of 35,000 people. Since its construction, it has dried up at least four times. The absence of maintenance has resulted in a loss of half of its capacity. In the last two years, three Chinese-funded dams have been built with two more under construction as part of the CPEC project. However, these dams are not connected to the city yet. Although Gwadar has several beaches, seawater cannot be used for plantation because it is saline and will not be appropriate for irrigation. Between 2015 and 2016, a desalination plant provided the city with 1.1 million liters of water of the intended 7.5 million liters. However, this cannot be a permanent solution to water scarcity.
Time and again, the residents have protested and called upon government officials to resolve the crisis. But their calls have fallen on deaf ears. The government needs to adopt measures to tackle the water crisis at the earliest.
Hammal Zahid
Kolahoo
Published in The Express Tribune, September 11th, 2022.
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