Water scarcity triggers capital protest

Residents of G-13 and G-14-series sectors of Islamabad Friday protested against the water scarcity.

The G-13 and G-14 sector of Islamabad has been developed by the Federal Government Employees Housing Foundation (FGEHF).

A large number of men, women and children of both the residents said that the FGEHF and civic agencies have completely failed to provide uninterrupted water, forcing them to buy water tankers at exorbitant rates. They also took out a rally from G-13 Markaz to Golra underpass.

The protesters said that though the FGEHF has developed the housing sectors in G-13 and G-14, they were not being provided water regularly and they have to face immense difficulty in doing daily chores.

They said that the FGEFH and civic agencies should stop sending water bills without providing the commodity. They said that the residents should be saved from the tanker mafia which was selling water at higher rates.

They said that if the water issue in the two sectors was not resolved, they will stage a protest demonstration on Kashmir Highway and block it for vehicular traffic.

They said that no government has ever tried to solve the water problem in the two sectors. “If we don't get water, we are ready to get FIRs lodged against us and launch a 'Jail Bharo Tehreek'” they said. They said that they have invested their hard-earned money to have a house in these sectors but they civic agencies have ignored them.

Residents Javed Qureshi, Naeem and others said that residents of the two sectors were at the mercy of people selling water through tanker trucks to fulfil their water requirements.

They said that they were already facing problems with schools, distorted roads, electricity shortage, unavailability of parks, unavailability of cleanness facilities and now the water scarcity problem was further adding to their woes.

Though every year the water supply situation aggravates during the summer season, it affects badly the residents of the G-13, G-14 and I-series sectors, where water is being supplied through tube wells installed in the Margalla Hills National Park Area.

Due to excessive load shedding in summer, the water supply affects these areas giving rise to water shortage complaints.

It should be noted that several areas of the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad are facing acute water shortages due to the depleting groundwater level and interrupted supply from nearby water dams.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 2^nd, 2022.