Water crisis deepens in Mansehra

MANSEHRA: The ongoing dry spell has further deepened the water crisis in the city and its suburbs as streams, wells, and boreholes are drying up, leaving residents with no option but to purchase water through private tankers.

“We are going to launch a movement against the government for its failure to provide potable water to residents,” said Abdul Waheed, chairman of Neighbourhood Council-I.

The underground water table has dropped drastically over recent years due to prolonged drought, which affected four neighbourhood councils and forced people to spend their hard-earned income on water.

The Bothkhatta stream, once a primary water source for the city, has now turned into a sewage drain, polluted by the unchecked disposal of wastewater from settlements on both sides.

The Tehsil Municipal Administration (TMA) and Public Health Department, both responsible for supplying potable water, have failed to initiate any new schemes to meet the growing demand.

A shallow well project, launched years ago, remains non-operational to this day.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had announced a water supply project last year aimed at addressing urban water needs, but the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) government has yet to implement it.

Similarly, a gravity-based water supply scheme, proposed with Rs 20 billion in financial assistance from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, has seen no progress since its announcement.

Frustrated by inaction, chairpersons of various neighbourhood councils, including Abdul Waheed and Israr Khan alias Phool, have announced the launch of a protest movement.

“We will take to the streets against the departments that have failed to ensure a potable water supply to the city and surrounding areas,” Waheed told reporters.