Model city: Lasting solution to capital’s water crisis in the works

Capital city’s new projects, upkeep to be rolled out soon, says Islamabad Mayor Sheikh Anser Aziz

ISLAMABAD: A project to cater to the increasing water supply needs of the federal capital has been prepared that will cost Rs80 billion that will be a lasting panacea to the water crisis.

This was said by Islamabad Mayor and Capital Development Authority (CDA) Sheikh Anser Aziz who was speaking to Daily Express.

Aziz explicated that talks were in the final stages for long-term payment plans with China and Turkey as well.

Furthermore, the mayor said that the CDA had also planned to roll out a new housing sector within the next three months, while 109 private housing societies have been issued notices to seek approval of the layout plans from the authority as they were being run without their permission.

Aziz said that CDA has also asked to provide space for playgrounds, parks, dispensaries, hospitals, schools, colleges and green areas from these housing societies.

In this regard, management committees will also be set up.

He said that the reason behind the water crisis in the capital city was the scarce rainfall last year.

Aziz added that his goal is to bring the rural areas at par with the urban areas in Islamabad.

Moreover, he elucidated that he had expanded the clean-up operation from the sectors to the districts starting with sanitation arrangements in all the union councils.

Similarly, a new waste management system company will be set up, which will use garbage to produce useable items that will also enhance the financial resources of the authority.

The CDA chairman said that the process of computerisation of land records has already begun, whereas the district administration will computerise its records itself.

Aziz said work on various development projects has also been expedited which include Koral interchange, a signal free corridor from Zero Point to Rawat as well as the Soan and Khanna interchanges.

The development work on Sector D-12 will also be given priority to be completed.

He said the CDA was working to maintain the greenbelts in the city via landscaping.

The mayor said the operation against encroachments was on going and no one will be allowed to take public land illegally.

He said that the authority was taking measures to reduce water leakages caused by old lines.

TRANSLATION BY ARSHAD SHAHEEN

Published in The Express Tribune, February 2^nd, 2017.