Civic issues, resource scarcity or mismanagement

Rawalpindi : The solution to problems lies in the heart of our endeavors. Thus far, city authorities’ efforts have not been satisfactory in eradicating different kinds of problems confronting Rawalpindi city. Is it a problem of resource scarcity or mismanagement?

“The problems like gas, water, and electricity shortage hitting the city, are not due to scarcity of resources but mismanagement of resources in the city that has created problems, says Hasrat Naqvi.

“In a city of millions, it is not easy to cope with the rising demand and increased stress on the existing civic amenities. There is not really a shortage of gas power and water. What we are lacking is the management of these resources,” says Ahsen Zaidi.

“The range of authority existent in the concerned departments and prevalent corruption compounds the situation further. This leads to inordinate delays in implementing the desired policy initiatives to alleviate the problems faced by the citizens of the city, speakers added,” says Afzal Nadeem Jafray.

“For almost ten days we do not have a gas supply. An employee from SNGPL told us that there is some obstruction in the gas pipeline. We contacted the SNGPL persons many times but they have not solved our problem yet,” adds Afzal.

“Apart from natural calamities like the dust/rain storm damaging the power cables and poles, gas and water pipelines disrupting the residents, there are other reasons for high transmission and distribution losses. It is not possible to recover the cost of public utilities in circumstances where the high percentage is pilfered,” says Fahd Ali.

“The city has the highest per capita consumption of power, gas, and water, with the total requirement hitting a big figure per day. Against this, unfortunately, supply is only meagre,” laments Matlub Ali.

“Moreover, responsible civil society is a prerequisite for sustained growth of the city. We need to put our act together and come forward to put forth our disagreement on the inadequate civic amenities to make the city authorities take note, adds Fahd.

“The people’s power to demand what is rightfully theirs is the key to the solution of problems. The people should become a shining example of showing the spirit of resistance for all causes. If people endeavour, the war against problems will not be lost, says Farhat Hussain. “If more and more people take the initiative to make their neighborhood liveable, for instance by helping to maintain playgrounds or green spaces. As a result, the relationship between the city leaders and society can change, says Tanvir Hussain.

The residents of any locality of the city should feel a sense of commitment to their areas and actively get involved in activities to improve the quality of life there. The residents of all areas can engage in voluntary work, and organize problem-solving campaigns,” says Talaat Hasan.