by Faridat salifu
In the drought-stricken hills of Bukhari Kalan, Punjab, farming was once at the mercy of unpredictable rainfall.
But one farmer, Chaudhry Muhammad Irfan, decided not to wait for relief from the sky and built a dam entirely on his own.
The project, which provides free water throughout the year, has begun transforming the area and improving the livelihoods of Irfan’s neighbors.
“There is no involvement of the government or any local individuals in this project,” Irfan said.
“We built it entirely on our own, and we handle all the operational work ourselves,” he added.
“From its care and maintenance to providing water to everyone everything is managed at our own expense.”
The dam supplies water year-round, helping sustain crops and cattle even in dry months.
Punjab province extracts nearly 63 billion tons of groundwater each year around 51 million acre-feet pushing water tables dangerously low.
In some areas, groundwater levels are falling by as much as 2.6 feet annually.
Irfan’s dam helps counter that decline by storing runoff and recharging underground aquifers.
Other farmers say the structure has increased land values, enabled consistent cattle grazing, and even supported small-scale fish farming.
The project is now seen locally as a model of community-led water resilience amid worsening drought conditions.
Source: Deutsche Welle (DW)
