Daily Times

RAWALPINDI: The rise of mercury has caused manifold problems for the inhabitants of Rawalpindi like other parts of the country and one of the major issues was water shortage which people faced and youths used the beat the heat in nearby rivers.

Despite tall claims from the government regarding the enhancing the generation capacity, power load-shedding during the blazing hot weather has badly affected water supply in the city.

Shortage of water due to downing the water table and least water supply from the civic bodies has irked the people as it has badly affected their social, industrial and domestic activities. People said the electricity load-shedding led to closure of tube wells during water supply hours as the civic bodies responsible for water supply have not instructed the staff at the tube wells to put them on when the power supply is restored by setting aside the fixed tube-wells running hours. The residents of Raja Akram Colony on Dhamial Road are facing acute water shortage for the last many days despite laying of a new pipeline at a cost of Rs 1 million. The residents said that Chaklala Cantonment Board CCB has failed to provide potable water.

Azhar Hameed, an area resident, said water is not available in the locality. He said they cannot afford to get water from tankers as it was too costly. Another resident of the locality, Haseeb Bhatti, said they were paying water bills regularly but its supply was not being ensured.

Helpless citizens are compelled to hire the costly services of water tankers in order to fulfill their required share of water for daily use.

With increase in the temperature unscheduled load-shedding with intervals of 8 to 10 hours in the main areas of the city despite claims by the Ministry of Water and Power that six hours of load shedding is being exercised in urban areas.