WITH Punjab’s agricultural sector already under threat, the province’s groundwater crisis has reached a tipping point. The latest data from the Water Resources Zone of the Punjab Irrigation Department paints a gruesome picture: the province’s groundwater table is depleting at an alar-ming rate of 0.5-1.0 metres per annum.
This precipitous decline is largely attributed to the unchecked installation of tube wells that has increased from a mere 4,500 in 1960 to over 1.5 million in 2024. The statistics are nothing short of staggering.
Punjab’s groundwater extraction rate is a whopping 142 per cent higher than the recharge rate. Contemporary research on groundwater resources has unveiled a shocking truth. A staggering 60 billion cubic metres (bm3) out of total 68bm3 of groundwater have been extracted in Pakistan, with Punjab accounting for 90pc share of this extraction.
But that is not all; the situation is about to take a turn for the worse. Some other studies have revealed a high risk of contamination associated with arsenic and other heavy metals in groundwater, particularly in Punjab’s hotspots. These contaminants are highly carcinogenic and mutagenic, posing a lethal threat to human health.
The consequences of this unchecked groundwater exploitation are far-reaching and devastating. Rural communities are struggling to access clean drinking water, leading to an increased incidence of waterborne diseases.
With the added risk of arsenic conta-mination, the situation has become nothing short of catastrophic. It is high time the government took immediate action to address the crisis. This includes regulating the installation of tube wells, enforcing strict pumping limits, as well as investing in water conservation and recharge schemes.
Moreover, urgent measures are needed to mitigate the risk of water contamination, including regular water quality monitoring and public awareness campaigns.
The people of Punjab cannot afford to wait any longer. The time to act is now, lest we want to be left high and dry with a toxic legacy that will haunt us for generations to come.
Dr M. Mehboob Hassan Khan
Multan
Published in Dawn, February 6th, 2025
