Gwadar's main source of drinking water hits dead level

Government devises contingency plan to meet water emergency

QUETTA: Water stored in the Ankara Kaur dam, the main source of drinking water supply to Gwadar and its surrounding areas, has fallen to the dead level, sending warning signals to the officials concerned to make alternative arrangements for meeting the demands of locals.

Gwadar Deputy Commissioner Tufail Ahmed Baloch told this to a high-level meeting which was chaired by Provincial Chief Secretary Saifullah Chattha in Quetta on Thursday.



He asked the provincial government to adopt an alternative plan for ensuring water supply to the residents of Gwadar.

After discussing the alarming situation, the chief secretary immediately issued instructions to the departments concerned to ensure water supply to local residents using a fleet of tankers from the Belar dam and Shadi Kaur near Pasni.

Saifullah Chattha specifically instructed the officials concerned to ensure credible water supply to meet the shortfall of water due to the absence of rains and depleting sources of water from the dam and other reservoirs in the area.

The chief secretary said: “There is a need to make a comprehensive plan and execute the same in a proper way to deal with the impending water crisis in Gwadar, and for this all relevant departments should direct their efforts in coordination with each other.”

In the past, the government brought water from Karachi using a large ship of the Pakistan Navy to tackle water scarcity in Gwadar and its surrounding areas. In addition to that water supply was arranged from Mirani dam.

The meeting was also attended by Gwadar Port Authority Chairman Dostain Jamaldini who briefed the participants about the Gwadar Port development programme.

“The CPEC can be a game changer. It will help in stabilising the economy of the country and ensuring prosperity of the people of this country, Balochistan in particular.”



He said the pace of the economic development had already started in Gwadar where bright prospects exist for investment that will guarantee jobs to the local workforce. Jamaldini said the Gwadar Seaport is a jewel in the crown of the CPEC, opening new avenues for development of Gwadar and also the entire province of Balochistan.

Those who attended the meeting among others were Deputy Commissioners of Turbat and Panjgur, DG GDA Dr Sajjad Hussain Baloch, IGP Balochistan Ahsan Mehboob and Secretary PHE Sheikh Nawaz.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 10^th, 2016.