Capital Development Authority (CDA) will initiate a series of seminars on the judicious use of water from January 19, raising awareness among school children for preserving this precious resource. The first seminar of the awareness campaign would be arranged at the Global System of Integrated Studies (GSIS), which will be attended by the students of 10 other private educational institutions. Talking to APP on Monday, Water Management Director General Sanaullah Aman said the authority is arranging seminars in schools and colleges to sensitise children for avoiding lavish use of water.The Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) is also involved in raising awareness among the students of the federal government schools and colleges, he said.
Besides displaying banners and posters, awareness material including pamphlets and brochures will be distributed among young students while lectures and demonstrations will also be arranged in all the educational institutions. The seminars would continue following an awareness walk, debate competition and inter-school competitions on water-related issues, he said.
Aman said the seminars will be based on four slogans: Wash your car with a bucket, use hand sprinkler for gardening, take shower for 4 minutes and use a mug for shaving and cooking food. He said the banners with the messages carrying ‘Water is Life’ and ‘Save Water’ are being displayed in different markets across the federal capital, besides disseminating awareness through LCDs installed at various places in the city.
However, door to door awareness material will also be distributed among residents urging them to join hands with the Authority for conservation of water and extend cooperation to the CDA by intimating its control room in case any one is found misusing drinking water, Aman said. Earlier, the CDA issued an open letter to all the residents of the federal capital to seek their active participation in its anti-litter and judicious use of water drive. The letter says challans would be issued to those who waste water on washing cars, gardening and other chores; however, those who will not avoid lavish use of water, the authority will cancel their connections.
The CDA will also take action against those who have installed water pumps and motors at the end of the streets for dragging extra water from the pipelines, causing troubles for others. The authority has been effectively pursuing its plan to avert water shortage and ensure steady water supply to the residents. Aman said heavy penalties are being imposed on the people for misusing water and their cases are being heard by the Senior Special Magistrate of the CDA.
Meanwhile, the director said the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad will get reduced quantity of water till January 20 due to the suspension of water supply from Khanpur Dam to Sangjani Water Treatment Plant (WTP). The supply of raw water will remain suspended due to de-silting or cleaning of Left Bank Canal (LBC). Ten million gallons per day water will be supplied to Rawalpindi and five million gallons to Islamabad. However, the water pumping has been increased from Simly Dam from 32 MGD to 35 MGD to overcome shortage of water. About the water tanker demand, he said the demand earlier reached up to 800-900 due to load-shedding in the capital but now it has reduced to 500, the authority is taking steps to ensure smooth water supply to its residents.
