Daily Times

RAWALPINDI: Several areas of Rawalpindi and Chaklala Cantonments have been hit by severe water scarcity as water supply from Khanpur dam has drastically gone down and underground water is reportedly going into a sinkhole.

According to sources, the cantonment areas have been facing shortage of over 10 million gallons of water daily, forcing the citizens to go from pillar to post to get potable water.

Around 11 million gallons of water is currently being supplied from Khanpur Dam and 70 other tube wells against the daily need of 22 million gallons water, the sources said.

The residents of Shamsabad, Gulistan-i-Jinnah, Farooq-i-Azam Road, Dhoke Kala Khan, Naseerabad, Chor Chowk, Siham, Allahabad, Westridge, Misrial Road, Tench Bhatta, Gawalmandi and other adjourning areas complained about water scarcity saying repeated complaints were being made to the Water and Sanitation Agency and Rawalpindi Cantonment Board but in vain.

RCB Spokesperson Qasier Mahmood said that the Cantt CEO had formed a committee to assess the situation. The team has also been tasked to carry out a survey, sever illegal connections and launch crackdown on defaulters.

He said that a full-fledged strategy would be devised to overcome the water crises in light of the suggestions and recommendations of the team. Mahmood said that the crisis woule be overcome after completion of work on Phase-III of Khanpur Dam.

Illegally operating service stations consume water: Dozens of illegally operating service stations in the Ffederal Capital are consuming water being supplied to residential areas.

During a survey by Online, it emerged that scores of service stations have been functioning in different areas of the Federal Capital illegally, denting water supply to several residentails areas including sector I, F and G series. These illegal service stations use water supplied for domestic use for commercial purpose creating a scarcity-like situation in many areas.

A CDA source said that the water department had sent a letter to the CDA chairman informing him that under the prevailing situation and amid mushroom growth of service stations, water supply to residential areas would be affected in summer. The source said that around 600 public complaints are lodged with the department over short or non-supply of water in many areas.