Residents of Adiala Road protest discontinuation of water supply

Rawalpindi : It seems that the local administration, Rawalpindi has remained oblivious to the crisis faced by the residents of Adiala Road for over 20 years. The residents of Adiala Road were merely reliant on the ‘tanker mafia’ for over two decades and now the local administration has also snatched the only source of water supply from residents of Adiala Road too and stopped illegal ‘water hydrants’ by confiscating all motors during an operation on Saturday.

The residents of Adiala Road in a state of helplessness came out on the roads and protested against the district administration for failing to supply the water for over 20 years and also snatched the only source of water (tanker mafia) through an operation.

Saadat Hussain, a resident of Munawar Colony (Adiala Road) said that he was wandering here and there in search of water but in vain because the local administration confiscated all illegal ‘water hydrants’ on Saturday. “So from where are we going to get water from now,” he denounced. He appealed to the local administration either to provide drinking water or allow illegal ‘water hydrants’ to supply water till a solid arrangement.

Taking action against illegal ‘water hydrants’ was a good step of local administration but Deputy Commissioner (DC), should think that what alternate local administration was provided to the residents of Adiala Road. The local administration should arrange water first of all then it should have taken action against illegal ‘water hydrants’. There was neither supply water nor water from the tanker mafia.

The protesters marched towards Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner, and Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) offices. They carried banners and placards in their hands and raised full-throated slogans against concerned management for failing to provide supply water to them for over 20 years.

Earlier on Saturday, under the directions of Deputy Commissioner (DC) Tahir Farooq, the Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) and Municipal Corporation started an operation against illegal ‘water hydrants’ and confiscated all motors.

For over 20 years, the rich people took advantage of the situation and established ‘water hydrants’ illegally in different areas of Adiala Road, Gorakhpur, and Daghal to sell water at skyrocketing prices. In the early days, a water tanker was easily available at Rs500 but with the passage of time prices were going up and a tanker was being sold at Rs5000 some two days back.

During this period, the residents of Adiala Road went from pillar to post and filed hundreds of applications to provide supply water but in vain. Neither government nor elected political leadership considered it seriously and now locals were dying due to the absence of water.