Ban imposed on motor boating in Rawal Lake

Islamabad : The local administration has imposed a ban on mechanical/motorised boating that is causing contamination and pollution in the water of Rawal Lake.

An official order Reader/AC (Sectt)/184 issued by the office of the Assistant Commissioner states “It has come to the knowledge that certain people are involved in mechanical/motorized boating at Rawal Dam Islamabad, which is causing contamination and pollution to the water of the Rawal Lake.”

“There are sufficient grounds for proceedings under Section 144 of Criminal Procedure Code, 1898 and immediate prevention and the speedy remedy is justified and the directions hereinafter appear are necessary,” it said.

It stated “In exercise of powers conferred upon me under Section 144 Cr. P.C, 1898 do hereby prohibit mechanical/motorized boating at Rawal Lake.”

The official order also gave a reference to the directives of the Supreme Court of Pakistan regarding the prohibition of mechanical/boating at the Rawal Dam.

When the Pakistan Council for Research in Water Resources (PCRWR)—a research organization that works under the Ministry of Science and Technology —took samples from the Rawal Lake it had found that the water had high levels of bacteria and turbidity.

The eyebrows also raised when hundreds of fish floated to the surface of the lake. It prompted a mass investigation while the authorities even shut supply from it to Rawalpindi for a few days to protect consumers against potentially poisoned water.

Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Pak-EPA) in the past also issued an Environmental Protection Order (EPO) to the Capital Development Authority (CDA), directing it to disallow the use of motorboats in the Rawal Lake.

Rawal Lake Catchments Monitoring Committee (RLCMC) also imposed a complete ban on motorboats operating at Rawal Lake but it became ineffective with the passage of time.

Rawal Lake is a major source of drinking water for Rawalpindi, and motorboats are contaminating its water due to discharge of oil and grease from their engines.