Tourists flocking to enjoy the scenic beauty of this fabled lake are instead treated to the sight of small dead fish ringing the edges of the dried lake.
Hanna Lake was built by the British in 1894 with the objective of maintaining the water table, to recharge the Karezes (an ancient irrigation system), surrounding springs and to provide water for agricultural purposes.
There was a time when tourists could take boats into the lake and enjoy the idyllic atmosphere.
“We are frustrated…the government must do something to bring back the beauty of Hanna Lake.” The lake had provided nesting grounds for migratory birds from Siberia till the 1980s.
But unchecked hunting and water scarcity drove them off with the passage of time.
It is ironic that Hanna Lake, built by the British, would one day dry up for want of attention from local governments.
It can help maintain the depleting water table of the area if it is full of water, recharge the dried springs and karezes and provide water for farming, Mr Rasheed says.
The water table in Quetta and parts of northern and central Balochistan is getting depleted at a rate that is alarming.
“Maximum plantation can mitigate the dangers of drought,” Mr Kakar points out.
“By 2030, people will not be migrating from Quetta due to terrorism but will be driven by scarcity of water,” says Mr Kakar, who heads the Quetta section of the Forest Department.