Solar-Powered Tube Wells Depleting Groundwater Levels in Balochistan, Warns Irrigation Minister

QUETTA – Balochistan’s Minister for Irrigation, Mir Sadiq Umrani, has raised serious concerns over the rapid depletion of groundwater across the province, attributing the crisis to the continuous 24-hour extraction of water through solar-powered tube wells.

Speaking to the media after the Balochistan Assembly session, Umrani criticized WAPDA officials, stating that the decision to convert agricultural tube wells to solar power was “a mistake.”

He noted that Balochistan is already facing severe water scarcity, with underground water levels dropping alarmingly each day. “Previously, QESCO provided only four hours of electricity for agricultural tube wells, and farmers used electricity carefully because they paid for it. Now, with solar power operating around the clock, water is being pumped continuously, causing the water table to decline even faster,” he said.

The minister added that the canal system in Nasirabad is also experiencing water shortages, and efforts are underway to address the situation. He emphasized that improving the agricultural sector remains the responsibility of the provincial agriculture department.

Umrani warned that unless immediate measures are taken, the water crisis could deepen further, posing a serious threat to farming and livelihood in the province.