As the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) and Capital Development Authority (CDA) play a buck-passing game following their rift over the Simly Dam water, residents of Bhara Kahu continue to face an acute shortage of drinking water during the peak summer season.
Bhara Kahu is a thickly-populated area of the federal capital, having approximately 150,000 people with no major source of drinking water. A senior ICT administration official told Pakistan Today that the major source of water for the twin cities was Simly Dam. Earlier, the people of the area used to get illegal connections from the CDA’s water lines coming from Simly Dam for the urban areas of the city, he added. However, the city managers requested the locals not to steal water from the CDA lines.
The CDA asked the inhabitants of the area that if the ICT, which was supposed to look after the affairs of the rural areas of the metropolis, constructed a mini dam in Bhara Kahu, the CDA would supply water for the vicinity. Subsequently, the ICT administration constructed a small dam in Bhara Kau to meet the growing demand of water in the worst-affected rural area. The construction work of the mini-dam was completed a couple of weeks ago, but the CDA refused to supply water to the dam.
CDA Chairman Imtiaz Inayat Elahi had assured the ICT and the leader of the house in the Senate, Syed Nayar Hussain Bokhari, a few days ago that he would ensure that the residents of Bhara Kahu got an uninterrupted water supply, but he reneged on his promise.
Talking to Pakistan Today, Islamabad Deputy Commissioner Amir Ahmed Ali also confirmed that before the construction of the mini-dam, the CDA had assured the ICT of supplying water to Bhara Kahu. He said talks were underway with the CDA bosses for the release of water.
On the other hand, the residents of Bhara Kahu have decided to take to the streets against the ICT and the CDA for not providing them with drinking water. On Saturday, a group of 20 female residents of Bhara Kahu went to the office of the additional deputy commissioner (general) at F/8 Markaz to register their protest against the administration for not providing drinking water to them.
“We are drinking rainwater because there is no water supply. We have visited many offices, but nobody listens,” said Aneesa Bibi who came from Bhara Kahu to the ADC (general) office to register her protest.
The other protesting women told Pakistan Today that they were persuading the other affected women of the area to take to the streets against the Islamabad administration. “We may block Murree Road from Monday as we have no other option but to protest,” said Zaida Nisar.
ADC Dr Ehtesam Anwar, when contacted, also admitted the residents of Bhara Kahu had been facing an acute shortage of water. “No doubt, the residents have been facing an acute shortage of water,” he said.
CDA Spokesman Ramzan Sajid said the CDA was supposed to supply water to the residents of urban areas only and had nothing to do with the people of Bhara Kahu as the ICT was supposed to look after their affairs. He added that the CDA had supplied water to the residents of Bhara Kahu going beyond its jurisdiction. Talking about the water supply to the newly-constructed mini dam, he said there was no written agreement between the CDA and the ICT in this regard.
