MCI fails to resolve water crises

Islamabad: The Municipal Corporation of Islamabad (MCI) has not be able to address even basic problems like water in Islamabad during the last over two years.

The performance of the MCI could be gauged from the fact that 14 out of 19 water tankers are still out of order for shortage of funds. The fleets of water tankers could be seen parked inside complaint offices of the water supply directorate which if made functional could be helpful in requirements of residents regarding this basic need.

The federal capital presently experiencing water-rationing owing to dry weather spell coupled with non-functional tube-wells, out of order water tankers and considerable reduction of supply from Khanpur Dam which would continue till 12th of this month due to de-silting of left bank canal.

One of the resident of Sector F-10/4 told this scribe that on Saturday morning he went to get a water-tanker no official was in the office to register his complaint. When he tried to contact the Director (Water Department) Nasir Jamil his cell phone was not responding.

The residents of different residential sectors have complained that they have been facing problems in getting their grievances regarding water tankers addressed. “It take hours to get one-third of water tanker and some times, the complaint is not addressed the same day,” Muhammad Amjad, resident of Sector G-10/1.

He said that there have also been connivance between private tanker mafia and staff working with water supply through tankers. “ We have to pay four times more to private tankers if we want to get water within an hour while early redressal of complaints from MCI tankers in not possible,” he said.

Another resident of the same sector said the supply could be improved if there is proper management through water tankers. He said the private tankers have also been allowed to fill their bowzers from MCI tube-wells.

On the other hand, 35 out of 193 tube-wells are not functional including 20 tube-wells where water had gone down to dead level and require fresh boring.

A spokesman of MCI while commenting on the issue, said in recent months, the water supply directorate received Rs2.5 million with which pipes and tyres of 19 tankers were purchases and now these tankers are fully functional

He said that presently the federal capital is receiving 50 million gallons per day (MGD) of water from different resources including Simly Dam, Khanpur Dam, tube-wells and other resources against requirement of 120 MGD. “Owing to continuous dry weather spell, we want to keep the water supply going with present supply till the Monsoon season,” he said.

The water level at Simly Dam has gone down from fully capacity of 2,315 feet to 2,274 whereas the dead level is 2,233 feet. However, due to closure of left bank canal from Khanpur Dam, the water supply from Simly Dam was increased from 19 to 24 MGD.

The MCI official claimed that on average 550 out of 600 complaints regarding water tankers are addressed. He said the water supply directorate charges Rs200 per tankers from private parties but the permission had been drawn due to shortage of water for the last two months. The private tankers are also bound address six complaints on daily basis received by the MCI water supply directorate.