IHC issues notice to mayor against water shortage

Islamabad

Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) here Thursday issued notice to the Mayor of Islamabad in a petition against water shortage in the federal capital.

Petitioner Raja Tanvir, a resident of Sector I-10 has cited Islamabad Metropolitan Corporation (IMC) through its Mayor and Capital Development Authority (CDA) as respondents.

Petitioner adopted that the fundamental right of general public being violated due to water shortage and disconnecting water supply in the various sectors of Islamabad particularly Sector I-10.

Petitioner filed various applications to the concerned authorities but they remained unmoved and did not fulfill their constitutional obligations.

Supply of water is quite inadequate considering growing population of the federal capital. Respondent authorities have shifted their responsibility and awarded contract of tube-wells to private contractors who failed to overcome the shortage.

Water is basic need and fundamental human right. Due to shortage of water petitioner is compelled to spend money for getting water through private tankers who charge Rs1,500 to 2,000 per tanker.

Petitioner told the court that 60 out of 150 tube-wells in Islamabad were non-functional, while civic authorities in view of growing water needs did not installed new tube-wells.

Petitioner has prayed to the court to direct the authorities to resolve water crisis and restore water supply generally to the Islamabad resident and particularly to the resident of Sector I-10.