Citizens pay for WASA crisis

Salaries, development projects delayed despite tariff spike

MULTAN:

The Multan Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) remained in financial crisis throughout the past year.

The employees' salaries were paid late every month and several development schemes could not be completed due to unavailability of funds. The maintenance of important roads in the city was also delayed, causing hardship to the citizens.

A manifold increase in water supply and sewerage bills due to a revision of the WASA tariff also disturbed the citizens.

On the other hand, the civic agency’s dues in electricity bills increased from Rs2 billion to Rs4 billion.

Amid the financial crisis, steps could not be taken to replace 1,100 km-long dilapidated water and sewerage lines in the city, while only 145 km-long sewerage lines were replaced.

However, despite the replacement of the sewerage lines, the repair of affected roads has been delayed.

Meanwhile, a large part of the population of the city remained deprived of clean drinking water due to delay in the completion of the supply scheme.

Read WASA claims ownership of water used in construction

A number of WASA officers continued to face corruption cases over allegation related to development projects. Some employees were suspended form service on charges of corruption.

The WASA consumers’ difficulties and complaints increased following a five-fold increase in the tariff of water supply and sewerage during the year.

The organisation remained a defaulter of the Multan Electric Power Company (MEPCO), due to which electric supply to WASA installations was cut off repeatedly. MEPCO dues against WASA crossed Rs4 billion.

The delay in the completion of nearly two dozen ongoing projects under the Annual Development Programme resulted in serious sewage problems in the urban areas.

Citizens suffered because of accumulation of sewage in several areas, including the Timber Market, Chowk Shah Abbas, Madina Colony and Total Pura.

The local residents’ appeals to solve the problems of water supply and sewage on a priority basis proved futile.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 26^th, 2023.