Talks with WB to bring water from Ghazi Barotha Dam next week

Islamabad

Islamabad Metropolitan Corporation (IMC) would hold talks with representatives of the World Bank next week on the multi-billion project to bring water from Ghazi Barotha Dam to the capital city to meet the water requirements of the residents, the sources said.

The sources said if the talks move ahead successfully then the World Bank would provide financial assistance up to Rs50 billion to lay water pipeline from Ghazi Barotha Dam to Islamabad.

"The issue of bringing water from Ghazi Barotha Dam would also be raised in the Council of Common Interests because it cannot be executed without its formal approval," the sources said.

Mayor of Islamabad Sheikh Ansar Aziz said they would hold talks with the World Bank that would hopefully provide financial assistance for this mega project to meet the water requirements of the twin cities.  

The plan to draw water from River Indus under Ghazi Barotha Water Supply Project (GBWSP) was conceived many years ago and it was sent to the Planning Commission in 2009, which raised no objection on the project because it realised that this was the only option to remove water shortage in Islamabad and Rawalpindi.

It is pertinent to mention here that Minister of State for Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) Dr. Tariq Fazal Chaudhry has recently informed the Senate that demand of water for Islamabad is 110 million gallons per day while total supply is 72 million gallons per day.

The Mayor said currently water is being supplied to the dwellers of Islamabad from Simly and Khanpur dams and water reservoirs from Shahdara and Nurpur areas while 192 tubewells are also working to meet water requirements.