Karachi : Pakistan Council on Research in Water Resources PCRWR says 8.4 million cubic meter water sources generated for drinking purpose of 0.1 million human and 2.0 million livestock population in Cholistan desert area of Punjab.
Annual drinking water requirement in desert area is estimated to be 9.0 million cubic meter, network of water resources sources was established covering 26000 sq.km to mitigate impacts of drought scarcity in Cholistan. A total of 92 rainwater storage reservoirs with storage capacity of 15000 cubicmeters (4.0 million gallons) were designed with negligible seepage and comparatively low evaporation.
Spokesperson PCRWR Lubna Naheed said 20 special deep tube wells were developed where groundwater is suitable for drinking (each with discharge of 1.0 cusec), making total annual discharge more than 7.0 million cubic meter. Two reverse osmosis plants were installed to desalinize highly saline groundwater, with capacity of 0.01 million cubic meters annually.
She said 300 acres land was brought under decertification for sustainable land management. According to data, 55 acres barren sand dune land was stabilized by erecting micro-barrier fences in checkerboard form prior to plantation. Another 50 acres land was brought under plantation of tree species to control decertification, produce timber, fuel wood, protect agricultural, rangelands against wind erosion.
Orchard plantation of grafted zizyphus and date palm was done on 50 acres desert land to produce fruit, 50 acres developed to cultivate fodder crops and 97 acres natural degraded rangeland being converted in to good rangeland.
Innovative water resources management activities were introduced to overcome water shortage in scarce areas of Cholistan. Water availability has enhanced significantly by developing 12 water storage reservoirs, each with capacity of 1000 cubic meters to store canal water, when it is surplus in rainy season and use it for drinking during closure of canals.
On water situation in Tharparkar, Sindh she said a field research station was set up on 200 acres desert land at Khario Nara near Mithi to develop viable techniques for rainwater harvesting, utilizingfresh and saline groundwater and decertification control activities.
