CDA loses millions down the drain


Express July 26, 2010

ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority is losing millions of rupees every month from its Sewage Treatment Plant installed in Sector I-9. The plant is receiving far less inflow of sewage against its cost and the resultant manure is also below par.

Inaugurated in 2008, it was estimated that 14 million gallon of sewerage from 25 development sectors of the capital would be treated at the plant. However, this was not the case as only seven million gallons manage to reach the plant while the rest are lost in the way due to faulty sewerage lines.

The plant has a total capacity to treat 17 million gallons. An official of CDA said that around 150 workers had been hired to look after the plant while electricity bills amounting to Rs3 million per month along with other expenses were also being spent.

Officials said that due to leakage of sewerage lines, mud and sand mixed with the sewerage and the manure that is formed is of substandard quality.

Moreover, even the officials have started distancing them from the project, claiming that the plant installation was carried out on the directives of prime minister’s secretariat to keep the city green.

The officials claimed that the authority was already experiencing a severe financial crunch and running such huge projects in an inefficient manner was putting further burden on CDA’s treasury. “CDA is not in a position to inflict Rs5 million losses every month from a single plant. This is the time for cost cutting and this issue should be looked into,” he said.

The plant was inaugurated by Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani in 2008 and was setup at the cost of Rs2.27 billion.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 27th, 2010.

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