World Water Day is celebrated each year on March 22, across the world to ensure that everyone has water to drink. This day is also celebrated in Pakistan to raise awareness but no real-steps have been taken by the concerned authorities to put an end to the on-going drought in places like Gawadar. People in Gwadar still face drinking-water shortage after a three years drought in the arid province of Baluchistan.
With the passage of time, the water crisis has elevated leaving around millions of people with no access to clean drinking water. The natives of Gwadar are compelled to buy over-priced water (USD 115 to 140) per tank or wait for the government’s subsidized water transported to them from 80 kilometers away. The tanker mafias take advantage from this and it is not the first time that Gwadar is facing such severe water scarcity.
The Ankara Kaur dam is the only water resource that Gwadar and its surrounding areas have. The dam has dried up because of the prolonged drought. The dam was built in 1990, since then the people have used the water for their needs but now it has failed to keep up with the water demand of the city.
The poor people continue to suffer but nothing has been done so far. Water is the basic need of every human being but the government has failed to address the issue, how will it provide other necessities to people in future.
Before it was announced that work on the dams had been resumed under the scheme of CPEC, and it would be completed in 2018.
The citizens still face umpteenth problems and they need dire help.