Punjab minister warns of severe water paucity in future

MULTAN: The water table across the country has depleted more than 3,000 cubic meter for the last few years, predicting severe water scarcity in future and requires urgent preventive measures on urgent basis.

The water table started reducing from 1947 when 5,600 cubic meter water was available for each citizen and now the water table had reduced to 2025 cubic meters across the country. The situation is very alarming and citizens should avoid wasting water.

Talking to journalists, Punjab Agriculture Minister Malik Nauman Langrial Friday said that the situation requires saving each drop of available water. The country stands at seventh number across the globe with serious water shortage. At least 93 per cent share from the ground water is consumed for agriculture purposes in the country while seven per cent is being used for rest of the needs.

He underlined the need for launching a special campaign to save water reserves. The agriculture department was providing basic information to farmers for proper use of agriculture water and measures to save water at maximum level.

The minister said that the Punjab government was providing drip sprinklers technology on subsidised rates to farmers and it had exclusively allocated Rs67 billion for the purpose. The drip irrigation was a key source of water saving. The drip irrigation can save 60 per cent water. The agriculture department was providing 60 per cent subsidy on installing system of drip irrigation. The agriculture department was developing bricks’ watercourses to stop waste of water, he said.