Desilting of Nullah Leh to be completed till June 30

Rawalpindi:The Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) has briefed Deputy Commissioner (Rawalpindi) Tahir Farooq that desilting of Nullah Leh would be completed till June 30, 2022.

The Deputy Commissioner (DC) on Monday visited WASA and the areas of Nullah Leh to see the work of silt cleaning and directed concerned officers to complete the desilting work in given time frame. He also checked the machinery which was being used for desilting.

The WASA has awarded the desilting work of Nullah Leh’s contract worth of Rs30million to a company. The WASA, Managing Director Raja Shaukat Mehmood told the DC that they would clean Nullah Leh from New Katarian to Gawalmandi Bridge for smooth flow of water during monsoon. The WASA is not only cleaning Nullah Leh but cleaning all nullahs and sewerage lines in and around the city, he said.

Heavy machinery is being used for dredging and remove silt and other materials that obstruct the flow of water in Nullah Leh, to its 100-year-old design to protect low-lying areas from inundation due to flooding in the monsoon, he said.

WASA managing director said that the process of cleaning would continue even during the monsoon so that the biggest tidal wave of water entering Nullah Leh from Islamabad could fall into the Sawan River in minimum time without submerging the low-lying areas.

The WASA managing director also told Deputy Commissioner that they were getting water from three sources from Rawal Dam, Khanpure Dam and from 400 tube wells. There are total 400 tube wells here in different areas of city which providing water to citizens, he said. On the directions of Punjab government, they have also started mega project of ‘Chahan Dam’ to fulfil the requirements of water.

Deputy Commissioner Tahir Farooq has directed WASA officials to complete silt cleaning of Nullah Leh at a fast pace. In the light of changing weather, we should be ready to face any situation, he said. He has also directed to be functional of gages at Nullah Leh. He has directed to mention contact numbers on WASA’s offices, tube wells and on overhead tanks to facilitate public.