Chaman’s Water Crisis: Irrigation Department Accused of Sabotaging Supply and Exploiting Citizens

Hub:The irrigation department in Hub has come under severe criticism for allegedly staging a drama to halt water supply from the canal, leading to a severe shortage of drinking water in the city. Reports indicate that prior to recent rains, canal officials and staff deliberately shut off the water supply, creating a critical shortage for the residents of Hub.

Water tankers have seized the opportunity, charging between 2,500 to 3,500 rupees per tanker due to the water scarcity. Despite sufficient water levels in the dam, citizens of Hub are struggling to get even a drop of drinking water.

Critics accuse the irrigation department’s officials of staging this crisis under the pretext of canal maintenance and misappropriating funds. The silence of the Deputy Commissioner of Hub and the Assistant Commissioner regarding the water supply disruption is raising questions.

Sources suggest that the water supply disruption is a result of collusion between the Hub administration, the irrigation department, and Public Health Engineering (PHE) officials. This has led to the dominance of the tanker mafia, which is selling water at exorbitant rates, while the local administration remains a passive observer.

The public is demanding immediate action from the Provincial Minister for Irrigation and the Chief Minister of Balochistan. They are urging these authorities to take swift action against the irrigation and PHE departments, and the Hub administration to ensure the restoration of water supply to the city as soon as possible.