Work on water projects likely to hit snag
Wasa vice chairman says the agency has been put on the road to self-sufficiency . PHOTO: FILE
With about two months to go before the financial year ends, fears of a long hiatus in the completion of Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA)’s water supply projects are growing strong as only 10 per cent of the funds have been released so far.
As the new financial year begins in June, there is a strong apprehension that the unused funds of the previous fiscal year will lapse.
Sources said the water supply scheme in Mohri Gazan worth Rs450 million was included in the current financial year by WASA which was to supply water to the densely populated area through the installation of new tube wells and water supply networking, however, only Rs70 million could be released for the project and the same has been spent.
In this project, only two tube wells and two water tanks have been constructed so far and due to the non-release of the remaining funds for the project, the complete water supply scheme of the Mohri Ghazan area has been delayed. Whereas all the efforts made so far for getting the remaining funds released have been unsuccessful.
Meanwhile, the Rs400 million water supply scheme in the garrison city has also been mired in controversy. Funds were released for this scheme but later these funds were withdrawn by the Punjab government before they could be utilised. Therefore the project, which was supposed to include the installation of new tube wells and water supply network and up-gradation, has also been delayed.
It should be noted that the drinking water crisis starts in May every year due to the increase in heat and the completion of the above-mentioned schemes before the new financial year could have met the need for drinking water in time but due to the delay in the release of funds in the current financial year, there is a possibility that not only the funds will be ineffective, but also because of the non-completion of the mentioned water supply schemes, there will be an acute shortage of drinking water.
Due to the delay in the completion of these projects, there is every possibility that their cost will also increase.
In this regard, WASA sources say that efforts were being made to complete the said water supply schemes on time, but due to the delay in the release of funds, the completion of these water supply schemes has been delayed.
Meanwhile, WASA officials hace been directed to ensure an uninterrupted supply of clean drinking water to the residents of the garrison city during Sehri and Iftar times. According to WASA Managing Director Muhammad Tanveer, the supply of clean drinking water to the citizens was being ensured by the civic agency’s filtration plants.
“Steps were also being taken for immediate repair in case of malfunction of tube wells,” he said.
The MD said like other parts of the country, the citizens here were also facing water shortage, which was mainly due to the decrease in the level of underground water and lack of timely construction of new water reservoirs.
“In a situation like this where WASA is making every possible effort to provide clean drinking water, it’s the responsibility of every citizen to use water carefully and try to save this priceless blessing of Allah Almighty,” he added. He urged the citizens to come forward and play their due role to conserve water. He also asked them to cooperate with WASA and pay their water and other bills on time.
The MD further said that to prevent wastage of water, WASA had improved the quality of water and taken measures to eliminate underground water leakages, which would not only save water but also help eliminate dengue. He asked the officials to further improve the service delivery to enable uninterrupted water supply to the citizens during Ramazan.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 27th, 2023.