LAHORE – Faisalabad citizens have to wait for potable water for another 7 years, as provision of drinkable water would be completed by 2018 if funds are provided frequently, Punjab Housing, Urban Development and Public Health Engineering Parliamentary Secretary Zafar Iqbal Nagra told the Punjab Assembly (PA) on Tuesday. He was replying to questions of members of the provincial assembly (MPA) during the PA’s 22nd session held with Speaker Rana Iqbal in the chair. The question hour session started around one and a half hour late.
Nagra told the House that presently, provision of drinkable water is being ensured to 50 percent citizens of Faisalabad and several projects are in the pipe line that would be initiated with help of the Japanese government. He said that approval of some projects is expected in 2012.
When the parliamentary secretary repeatedly said that projects would be started with the Japanese government’s help, Iqbal said, “Will such time ever come when the Punjab government would initiate projects on self-help basis?” on which Nagra did not reply and continued speaking.
Questioner MPA Khawaja Islam said that Punjab government’s acceptance that only half of Faisalabad’s population is provided drinkable water baffled him. He expressed dissatisfaction on the situation and said that projects linked to availability of funds were itself an ambiguity. Islam drew attention of the House towards tube wells installed on canals saying that such tube wells could never deliver results and tube wells be installed at river beds. The parliamentary secretary, baffled by questions of MPAs, finally assured the House that the Punjab government would ensure provision of drinkable water by 2018.
Responding to another question, Nagra informed the House that Rs 425.92 million have been spent so far on sewerage system of DG Khan. He assured the House that the project would be completed in the next two years. The mover expressing his dissatisfaction and said that the work pace is very slow. Responding to another question moved by Chaudhry Asadullah about allocation of 3 and 5 marla plots to widows at the Johar Town, Lahore, the parliamentary secretary told the House that 170 plots have been allocated so far. He said that some officers were found guilty of corruption in allotment of plots and have been brought to justice.
The parliamentary secretary also failed to respond to a supplementary question of Unification Bloc MPA Sheikh Allauddin about housing schemes approved by the Lahore Development Authority (LDA). Allauddin pointed out that the answer provided to the House is incorrect. Treasury MPA Nighat Nasir Sheikh asked the parliamentary secretary that despite working of generators at disposal stations in Lahore why stagnant water remains in many localities for many days. Nagra challenged the mover that there stagnant water is not present in Garhi Shahu, Lahore on which Nighat said that stagnant water was present for around 12 days and only drained out yesterday. She alleged that the water was drained out because the matter was in discussion in the assembly.
The parliamentary secretary, relying to another question moved by Nighat, informed the House that all 70 generators purchased for disposal stations of Lahore are in working condition. But the mover expressed her dissatisfaction on which Nagra said that the mover should point out the specific area. Iqbal rescued the parliamentary secretary on several occasions showing that Nagra was not fully prepared to answer questions of MPAs. Afterwards, the House resumed its usual business.
