ICT union councils lack adequate sewerage
Residents criticise the government for lack of spending in these areas despite huge budget allocations.
ISLAMABAD:
Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) administration failed to set up proper sewerage systems in various union councils of the capital, despite huge budget allocations over the past many years.
Different union councils of the area, including Kirpa, Shah Allah Dita, Sowan, Tarlai, and Tumir, suffer from inadequate facilities, with sewerage water flowing through the streets and lying stagnant in various empty plots.
Muhammad Hafeez, a resident of Sowan, expressed concern over the issue and said that waste water overflows from open drain lines and is causing various diseases amongst the people. “Sometimes the sewerage water flows all over the street and it becomes impossible for me to even go out of my house,” Hafeez said.
Residents have criticised the government for lack of spending in these areas despite huge budget allocations.
Rs980 million have been allocated to the ICT for the current fiscal year, while Rs680 million were allocated last year. In 2006, the then prime minister approved Rs4.3 billion budget for Islamabad Development Package.
“I don’t understand where they spent the money as we still don’t have a proper sewerage system,” said Haseeb Khan, resident of Tarlai. He added that no one had ever launched a project to make a proper sewerage system in Tarlai. “Majority of the people have themselves made open sewerage lines to channel sewerage water outside their streets,” he said.
When contacted, Assistant Director Local Government Hassan Abbas said they had launched many projects in various union councils to improve their sewerage systems. However, he added, some projects could not be started due to shortage of funds.
“The authority at times had to borrow money from the contractors to complete the remaining projects,” he said.
Abbas said the population was increasing rapidly in all union councils and that the administration was doing “its best to solve their problems”.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 27th, 2010.
Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) administration failed to set up proper sewerage systems in various union councils of the capital, despite huge budget allocations over the past many years.
Different union councils of the area, including Kirpa, Shah Allah Dita, Sowan, Tarlai, and Tumir, suffer from inadequate facilities, with sewerage water flowing through the streets and lying stagnant in various empty plots.
Muhammad Hafeez, a resident of Sowan, expressed concern over the issue and said that waste water overflows from open drain lines and is causing various diseases amongst the people. “Sometimes the sewerage water flows all over the street and it becomes impossible for me to even go out of my house,” Hafeez said.
Residents have criticised the government for lack of spending in these areas despite huge budget allocations.
Rs980 million have been allocated to the ICT for the current fiscal year, while Rs680 million were allocated last year. In 2006, the then prime minister approved Rs4.3 billion budget for Islamabad Development Package.
“I don’t understand where they spent the money as we still don’t have a proper sewerage system,” said Haseeb Khan, resident of Tarlai. He added that no one had ever launched a project to make a proper sewerage system in Tarlai. “Majority of the people have themselves made open sewerage lines to channel sewerage water outside their streets,” he said.
When contacted, Assistant Director Local Government Hassan Abbas said they had launched many projects in various union councils to improve their sewerage systems. However, he added, some projects could not be started due to shortage of funds.
“The authority at times had to borrow money from the contractors to complete the remaining projects,” he said.
Abbas said the population was increasing rapidly in all union councils and that the administration was doing “its best to solve their problems”.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 27th, 2010.