Adiala Road residents protest against Wasa

Rawalpindi: The residents of Defence Road, Saleha Street, Dhama Syedan, Kalyal, Munawar Colony, Ali Town and Hill View Lane here at Adiala Road, Rawalpindi on Sunday protested against Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) for not supplying water for a long time. The residents of affected areas carried banners and placards in their hands and blocked the main arteries of Adiala Road vicinity demanding that higher authorities take strict action against Wasa officials for such inefficiency for over two years.

The residents of Adiala Road told ‘The News’ that they were continuously protesting against Wasa but higher authorities did not take any kind of action against it. The corrupt Wasa officials, they alleged were only sending huge amounts of bills but not supplying water. The residents of Adiala Road said that they will continue to protest demonstrations till the removal of the corrupt mafia from Wasa.

He said that in 2018, the Punjab government released Rs400 million to provide pure drinking water to the residents of Adiala Road but in vain. The residents of Adiala Road as per routine have been facing acute water shortage but receiving huge amounts of bills, he strongly protested.

The angry protesters also said that the whole local management was fully cooperating with corrupt officers of Wasa therefore nobody took any kind of action to resolve this public welfare issue. We demand Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz to interfere to resolve this issue on a priority basis otherwise people of Adiala Road will block all main roads of Rawalpindi city, they warned.

The protesters also alleged that sub-engineers of Wasa Ahmed Hassan and Mohammad Nashad were demanding a ‘bribe’ to start supplying water. How we could pay them a huge amount of ‘bribe’, protesters said. “Again and again, we go to Wasa office for complaint against corrupt officers but in vain because all officers from top to bottom were involved in this corrupt practices,” the protesters said.

When asked sub-engineers of Wasa Ahmed Hassan and Mohammad Nashad said that they have orders from higher ups to not supply water to Adiala Road.

Water Consumer Rights Committees (WCRC) Chairman (Adiala Road) Raja Ijaz who was leading the protest demonstrations said that Wasa and elected representatives have failed to provide them with drinking water for over 20 years. The locals of Adiala Road are dying in the absence of water but the district administration, Rawalpindi and elected representatives of different political parties are not doing anything to rectify the situation. “We have filed several applications for provision of water but in vain,” he denounced.

He also said that WASA officials badly failed to provide us with a set schedule of supply water. “How we could survive without water,” he said. It seems that the local administration, Rawalpindi has remained oblivious to the crisis faced by the residents of Adiala Road for over 20 years.

Some senior officers from Wasa, Rawalpindi on condition of anonymity said that not only Adiala Road but the situation of all areas was pathetic. Only 5 to 10 per cent of areas were enjoying a supply of water while the other 90 per cent areas were without a supply of water and protesting in front of Wasa as per routine, the officers claimed. They said that there was a gang of ‘deputation’ officers who were ruling all key posts while professional officers were working as OSD here in Wasa for over two years. The current Managing Director Saleem Ashraf having an Additional Charge is also on deputation while another deputation officer Tousif Ahmed Ghori has the charge of Deputy Director and Director (Water Supply).

Similarly, Sadoon Basra as a deputation officer having the charge of Deputy Director and Director (Sewerage and Water Supply). Tahir Bashir’s original cadre was ‘Chlorine Attendant’ in Town Municipal Administration (TMA) but now he is working in Wasa on deputation as Director (Finance and Revenue) in Grade 19.

Another key post deputation officer Aziz Ullah working in Wasa as (Deputy Director) for over 15 years. He had not gone back to his parent department Public Health Department for over 15 years, the Wasa officers said. All matters were going well but deputation officers damaged this department badly.

Deputy Commissioner (DC), Rawalpindi spokesman Shahid Shah has assured to take action against Wasa to resolve this issue on priority. If Wasa will not provide drinking water to the residents of Adiala Road, I will inform the whole story higher authorities to take strict action against them, he assured.