The scarcity of freshwater plays a key role in the lives of all regions within Pakistan, which is why it has become essential to bring more of them across the country. As per officials from Balochistan Water Board (BWB), Baluchistan is the most affected province due to the absence of proper groundwater pumping and irrigation system, especially when compared to other parts of the country where freshwater becomes necessary. There are two main sources of water, namely the ground water reservoirs, which provide fresh water from the river banks along with the underground water aquifers. A number of irrigation projects will be completed in these years that will help address the issue of dwindling groundwater. Many dams have been constructed around major rivers like Chitrakoot-Kalghat that will help replenish the groundwater levels. To improve the availability of groundwater and irrigation, it is also important to maintain efficient soil management practices that should reduce soil erosion. Such practices may include fertilizer use and composting so that soil can retain its fertility and productivity. Lastly, construction of large scale desalination plants is necessary as they can produce sufficient amount of pure salt water. According to this section, we will discuss the solutions and ways through which the government can reduce the scarcity of freshwater in Baluchistan by implementing such policies.
In the year 2000, the population of Baluchistan was 2.9 million people who lived mainly at villages or districts. Over the last 50 years, however the population has grown exponentially to 10 million people. Currently, only 1 million people come out of the total population. During the 1950s–1980s, the water tables in the region were still rising slowly at the rate of 30 meters per year. This is because of agricultural activities on small scale. In later times, there was the establishment of mining industries for getting water from the underground water table to provide energy. However, it is important to mention here that at present, there are no major towns in the area apart from the capital city Peshawar. Due to these reasons, many farmers in the district are moving their cultivation areas to nearby districts and village because there is no guarantee of income.
To address the issue of freshwater scarcity, it becomes crucial to focus on agriculture as well as livestock sector. Due to low land support in the region, the grazing lands were destroyed, but after adopting appropriate techniques, the same lands were found good for breeding cattle, sheep, goats, and poultry. With the growth of agriculture and livestock sector, the demand for grasslands has increased and are becoming scarce in the district as well. Furthermore, the increase in rainfall during winter season has affected the quality and yield of crops. It is also important to keep in mind that the farms depend on groundwater for irrigation which gets polluted due to presence of industrial waste from factories and cities. So, after adopting the best farming and livestock management policies, the local farmers and ranchers are now able to get the desired yield. If this does happen then there will be an increase in the farm irrigation system and farmers will be able to gain money for sustaining their crops without having to go for loans. Overall Balochistan gets ample amount of rain during summer months. But due to various natural calamities, the demand for this water is very high after the rainy season. The current situation has worsened with the recent floods, which resulted in depletion of groundwater in the district. While addressing the issue of groundwater and irrigation in Balochistan, the WB has proposed various initiatives that would help us tackle the issues of water crisis in the area. One of them is making the farmers’ farm irrigated with electricity. Electricity helps in reducing temperature and humidity and hence keeping the soils healthy and ready for crops. For example, by increasing the solar power availability, the farmer can start growing even more crops, which will require lesser water as well as time. Also, farmers would be advised to carry out crop rotations depending upon the climate conditions. Another initiative that is being undertaken includes creating some ponds and lakes on the streams to keep the runoff flow healthy and ready for drinking water. These ponds and lakes will play an important factor towards regulating excessive rainwater and soil. In addition, it can also assist in water conservation in the case of heavy rain.
Moreover, in order to create awareness, a few schools have been established in different rural areas to teach students about the importance of maintaining soil health. Thus, Balochistan is making efforts to eradicate the issue of food security in the district. Through modern irrigation schemes, it has been established that every 10 years, the district will have enough supply of water for growing the required crops. Moreover, farmers need adequate quantity of water for cultivating the crops. Hence, by promoting agricultural development and improving livestock sector, Balochistan can become self-sufficient. More importantly, despite the fact that Balochistan is home to 7 percent of Pakistan’s territory, it has one of the highest unemployment rates. Therefore, by educating the young generation and initiating programs for employment, Balochistan can create jobs for the unemployed youth. Apart from providing job opportunities, the district should undertake a number of steps to promote housing and land ownership. Construction of affordable houses and infrastructure will contribute to poverty reduction. For instance, there must be housing schemes built to accommodate families from marginal areas who cannot afford to buy those. Similarly, there should be plans to distribute property among people from lower economic status. By doing so, people will be in a position to invest in building their homes. Furthermore, increasing the standard of living for citizens can also encourage farmers and ranchers to grow their crops in larger quantities. Additionally, water harvesting would be very helpful in saving the precious resource as water can be saved, if we know how to water it properly. Thus, it is vital to save water, rather than wasting it.
Besides these actions, Balochistan needs to follow suitable measures for restoring the soil health. At present, 70% of Baluchistan’s farmland depends on surface water. Along with this, our natural groundwater deposits do not allow the water to seep into the sand, soil, or rock layer. Balochistan is severely affected by the soil erosion. The most serious problems have been seen in the district’s upper reaches because of overuse of the soil. We can observe huge amounts of sediment accumulating along the bank which makes the soil more vulnerable to pollution. Similarly, the soil has gone bad because of deforestation. Consequently, our existing landscape is changing rapidly, and is proving difficult for vegetation to flourish. All these problems are caused by improper soil management, and it is the responsibility of environmental bodies like Balochistan Water Board to handle the problem of soil deterioration and conserve groundwater.
Also, Balochistan requires massive investments in agriculture and animal husbandry so that the district is stable and sustainable. Our farmers should ensure maximum crop production and produce much higher yields. Also, we need to plant new trees and vegetation so that we can reduce the use of forests. In addition, reforestation would help in conserving water bodies, and this would also protect the soil health and soil resources. Thus, it is also imperative to plant trees that are strong and disease resistant. Farmers also need to take effective preventive and remedial action against soil loss. On top of all these, agriculture and livestock sectors need improvement in terms of technology adoption, application, and implementation. They need to make sure that they grow their crops in large scale and have good crop rotation and fertilization regime. Agriculture also needs a significant investment in research as well. It must involve the utilization of latest technologies like biotechnology to boost the agricultural products. Besides, the sector should think creatively by using greenhouses, which can capture excess heat that could result in soil degradability. Thus, soil management becomes critical and Balochistan Water Board needs to prepare an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the proposed project. EIA for similar project would also require extensive details about the environmental impact of the proposed projects and its associated risks. After carrying out comprehensive study, Balochistan Water Board has recommended the proposal for planning irrigation projects. Projects have already been approved or deferred in various locations though certain bureaucratic processes are left pending. Infrastructure projects include dredging up the old stream bed, bridges with canal bunds, creation of waterways for storage and drainage, and installation of storage tanks for floodwaters. Irrigation projects are limited to irrigation schemes on upper reaches.
Balochistan must pay special attention to the distribution of minerals and nutrients. Today, the most common mineral is manganese, and it is also mined in the region mainly by Chinese miners. Though Manganese is in abundant supply but its extraction causes air and noise pollution. Moreover, it becomes highly toxic when exposed to the poor climatic condition. Since, it also becomes difficult to remove it from soil, it remains a scarce resource. Hence, it must be ensured that Balochistan waters are treated with care to prevent contaminants. Also, Balochistan should explore new mineral reserves in order to deal with the scarcity of natural resources. There should be a plan to install geothermal wells in every nook and corner of the district in order to treat both the natural and human water. Also, it should try finding suitable sites for setting up wastewater treatment units. Both the soil and water may also be cultivated by introducing organic fertilizer use instead of chemical fertilizer and manure. By using alternative fertilizers along with chemical fertilizer, the soil can stay fertile. Likewise, it is necessary to introduce a system that would effectively target the cultivation of organic soils. Organic fertilizers that are used in Balochistan can also add value to the soil. Some researchers have proved that adding organic nitrogen-based fertilizers to soil improves the soil structure and makes them less susceptible to soil erosion.
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