IHC expresses displeasure over CDA's failure to submit reply pertaining to water shortage

Directed CDA member, water management director, mayor’s representative to appear before court

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court on Tuesday expressed its displeasure over the failure of the CDA to submit a timely and comprehensive reply in a case pertaining to water shortage in the capital.

Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani directed a member and then the director of the water management wing of Capital Development Authority (CDA), as well as a responsible representative of Islamabad’s Mayor Sheikh Anser Aziz to appear in person before the court at the next hearing of the case and explain what steps have been taken so far to address the issue.

While giving senior officials of the civic agency one ‘last chance’, Justice Kayani expressed his annoyance over CDA’s failure to submit a reply on the matter since April.

“What could be expected from them to solve the water crises when they have yet to submit a reply,” he remarked.

Justice Kayani further remarked that senior officials of CDA may only realise the suffering of the common people when their own water connections are severed and they are compelled to seek water from tube wells or other sources.

Subsequently, the court ordered the officials to not only appear in person before the court at the next hearing of the case but also explain what steps have been taken or what hurdles were being faced in addressing the issue.

Earlier, the court had issued notices to the respondents after the petitioner Raja Tanvir, through his counsel Yasir Mehmood Chaudhary, approached the IHC stating that fundamental rights of public were being violated owing to water shortage in the capital.

Tanvir, a resident of Sector I-10, had filed a petition against water shortage and disconnection of water supply in various sectors of Islamabad, particularly in Sector I-10.

He had named the Islamabad Metropolitan Corporation (IMC) through the mayor and chairman of the Capital Development Authority (CDA), as respondents in the case.

In the petition, Tanvir said he had filed several applications to the authorities but they had failed to take any action to redress the issue.

In view of the growing population in the capital, Chaudhary said that water supply was grossly inadequate. He added that the respondents have awarded tenders for tube wells to a private contractor who has failed to overcome the shortage.

“Water is a basic need and a fundamental human right,” he stated, adding that due to water shortage, he had been compelled to spend extra money to get water through private tankers which charge Rs1,500 to Rs2,000 per tanker.

He maintained that of the 150 tube wells in Islamabad, 60 were broken. The civic authorities, in view of growing water demands, have failed to install new tube wells.

He urged the court to direct the authorities to resolve water crisis and restore water supply generally to the Islamabad residents and particularly to the resident of Sector I-10.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 1^st, 2017.