Water crisis adds to Lahorites woes

DCO says Wasa to install generators for tube-wells

LAHORE

Serious water shortages are reported in various city localities increasing the miseries of heat-stricken citizens who are already facing hours long power outages.Majority of the water shortage complaints were reported in middle and low-lying localities of the city. Citizens said following the hours long outages Wasa tube-wells have stopped pumping out water. Ironically, most of the generators installed at the Wasa tube-wells were also not operative due to absence of diesel or some technical fault.

The localities where water shortage is reported included Nonarian, Salamatpura, Green Town, Maryam Colony, Makkah Colony, Shadbagh, China Scheme, Tajpura, Dharampura, Larex Colony, Habibullah Road, Shahdara, Begum Kot, Imamia Colony, Rehman Gallian, Chowk Dalgirah, Sham Nagar, Sandha, Rasoolpura, Township, Karim Park, low line localities of Gulberg, Wafaqi Colony, Baghrian, Nishtar Colony, Batapur, various localities of Walled City, Samanabad, Gulshan-e-Ravi, some blocks of Faisal Town, Garden Town, Mansoora, Bagh Munshi Ladha, Awan Town, Chungi Amarsadhu, Naseerabad, localities around Mcleaod road and several areas of Model Town.

Residents of different localities said that outages had also caused closure of water filtration plants. Shakeel Ahmed, a resident of Chowk Dalgirah said water was not available in his area for the last two days due to which residents were forced to purchase costly mineral water.

Akhtar, a resident of Nonarian Bazaar, said he went to the nearby filtration plant repeatedly during the day to get water but it was not operative. He said the tube-well operator told him that there was no diesel to start the generator.

Raffique, a resident of Green Town, said the tube-well of his area was not supplying water due to outages and on visiting the operator of tube-well said generator was not working due to a technical fault. He said residents also gathered outside the Wasa office and protested.

Following the increased number of complaints regarding water shortages, City District Government Lahore (CDGL) and Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) held an important meeting to overcome the crisis. The meeting was held at Town Hall and was chaired by DCO Lahore Capt. (R) Muhammad Usman and Vice-Chairman Wasa MPA Ch Shahbaz while MD Wasa, Town Administrators and TMOs also attended it.  Chairing the meeting, the DCO Lahore Capt (R) Muhammad Usman stated that it was the responsibility of district administration and its allied civic agencies to provide regular supply of water in all corners of the city for which all necessary arrangements would be carried out. 

“The areas having water shortage will be focused on priority basis and district administration and Wasa have jointly issued toll-free numbers 1334, 0800-02345 and 0340-1112345 for registering complaints regarding water shortage. Citizens can register complaints, they will be supplied water on urgent basis” said DCO Lahore. 

He said Wasa and CDGL had been making special arrangements for provision of water in affected areas during the upcoming Ramazan, particularly at Sehri and Aftari timings.  The DCO said he had directed Wasa to make special arrangements of generators on tube-wells where generators were not available so that in case of loadshedding water could be supplied as per routine. Similarly, he directed town administrators to monitor the working of water tanks of Wasa and PHA and to check the attendance of Wasa officials. Vice-Chairman Wasa revealed that different MPAs were assigned to observe the process of water supply and resolve the crisis wherever surfaced. He concluded that no negligence would be tolerated.