Water supply to Adiala Road resumes

Rawalpindi: Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) resumed water supply here at Adiala Road, Rawalpindi on Sunday.

Wasa Managing Director Saleem Ashraf has taken strict action and issued ‘warning notices’ to officers deployed at Adiala Road. These officers intentionally stopped the water supply at Adiala Road for several days and provided water to some selected areas. “I will never spare corrupt mafia in Wasa at any cost,” he warned. The managing director (Wasa) along with Sub-Engineer Ahmed Hasan and some other senior officers visited the whole of Adiala Road to investigate the real issue. The MD listened to public grievances of affected areas and assured them to provide drinking water regularly.

He directed all concerned officers to issue a proper weekly schedule of water supply in all areas. He also directed to monitor ‘black sheep’ in the department. He told ‘The News’ that he would tackle all issues one by one. “We are doing everything to provide pure drinking water in all areas in Rawalpindi,” he said.

He said that he has formed a ‘Special Task Force’ to monitor the corrupt mafia in the department and how to tackle the public. The residents of affected areas complained to the Managing Director (WASA) that Inspector Muhammad Arif and Sub-Engineer Muhammad Nashad deployed at Adiala Road intentionally stopped the water supply in several areas. The residents of affected localities were deprived of the supply of water for over two months, the residents complained.

The residents of affected areas also complained that the aforementioned officers not only stopped the supply of water for over two months but also warned to cut off even legal water connections at Adiala Road. Inspector Muhammad Arif intentionally wrote ‘illegal connections’ on the main gates of consumers while all connections were legal, the consumers complained. The consumers complained that these officers demanded ‘bribe’ openly.

Wasa Managing Director Saleem Ashraf has directed In-Charge (Water Supply) at Adiala Road Ahmed Hasan to fully investigate this serious issue to take strict action against them. He assured consumers that strict action would be taken against responsible officers.

The Sub-Engineer and In-Charge of Water Supply (Adiala Road) Ahmed Hasan said that first of all, he has given the right direction of Supply Valves of affected localities. The directions of Supply Valves were disturbed in affected areas, he claimed. “I will fully try to provide water in all areas without any difference,” he assured. He said that he has started an investigation against corrupt officers here at Adiala Road and will submit a detailed report to MD, very soon. “There is no need to give a bribe to anybody, if Wasa staff demands a bribe, consumers should complain in the main office and we will take immediate action against them, he assured. With the population influx going unchecked and the water paucity aggravating, the residents of Rawalpindi have urged the civic authorities for timely steps to avert water shortage in the coming summer season.

As the residents especially in congested areas face this dilemma every summer, they have drawn the attention of Wasa to address this problem before the summer's start. Although all 480 Wasa tube wells are stated to be operating, across the city, the agency falls short of meeting the public's water needs. Some of these tube wells need repair or face water-sucking issues as water tables are down to 400 to 600 feet in certain areas.

The Wasa sometimes feel helpless to meet the water needs of the growing population even after receiving 13 million gallons of water per day from the Rawal Dam and six million gallons from Khanpur Dam. This situation compels the consumers to buy water tankers who are becoming a mafia to exploit consumers by charging extra money for water supply.