-Despite warnings and notices MCI yet to take action against illegal water borings across Islamabad
-Water in Simly Dam and Khanpur Dam is nearing dead levels
-Tanker mafia demanding 2,000 to 5,000 rupees for single tanker
ISLAMABAD: With the capital’s water woes worsening with every passing day, the denizens of Islamabad have resorted to extreme measures to procure water by any and from all means. Ranging from underground water boring, theft of water from supply lines by local influentials and paying exorbitant prices for a single water tanker, the residents of capital vie against each other over the most basic of necessities.
Although the authorities at Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad (MCI) and Capital Development Authority (CDA) had resolved to remove the illegal water borings from the city’s breadth and width, sources at both organisations term the task a Herculean one. According to them, there are around one million water bores, both commercial and private that are responsible for lowering the underground water table that has now stooped to 200 to 300 feet from what used to be 80 to 100 feet just a few years ago.
In March 2018, Islamabad Mayor Sheikh Anser Aziz while holding a meeting on the issue had said that if an approval from the competent forum is not obtained, seven days would be given to removing water bores voluntarily; however, after the expiry of the final notice, a campaign would be launched to take action against illegal water bores across the city. The mayor had further directed to publish a public notice to warn residents of the capital to remove illegal water bores voluntarily, warning of strict action against the violators in addition to a fine amounting to Rs5,000 as well.
However, no such action has been witnessed despite the lapse of three months.
With summers at its peak, Islamabad’s water woes are gaining momentum as the Directorate of Water Supply has cut down water supply down from 120 million gallons per day to only 55 million gallons per day.
It is pertinent to mention that the water in both Simly Dam and Khanpur Dam is nearing dead levels and in the absence of rainfall the supply from both dams will be either cut off or reduced to a bare minimum.
Islamabad is once again in the grip of a severe water shortage. Water supply to many residential sectors has drastically decreased and many water boreholes in Sector G-11, G-10, G-13, F-11, E-11, D-12, in addition, to other sectors have gone dry due to the lower water level.
Many of the capital’s denizens are left at the mercy of the tanker mafia who demand exorbitant prices for a single tank ranging anywhere between 2,000 to 5,000 rupees for a single tanker.
The population of Islamabad is presently estimated to be around 2 million and increasing at the rate of 5.7 per cent per year. However, the additional arrangements for water procurement lag behind in fulfilling the increasing population’s needs.
