Dealing with shortages: Abbottabad union council facing water scarcity for one month

Residents threaten to protest if supply is not restored soon.

ABBOTABAD: After a month of facing severe water shortage, residents of Kehal union council (UC) in Abbottabad have warned to launch protests if water supply is not restored soon.

Addressing a press conference on Friday, residents of the UC said demonstrations will be held against municipal authorities if they fail to address the complaint. Participants added they are only allowed to use tube wells four times a month and the operator does not allow one household to use the well for more than 50 minutes.



“We have to travel to other areas to get water or purchase it from private suppliers, which is not only expensive but also very time consuming,” said a resident Afzal Khan.

Criticising the chief municipal officer of Abbottabad for his ‘poor administration’, residents said they have frequently complained to authorities about the problem, but no action has been taken so far. “More than 5,000 houses are undergoing severe crises in this scorching heat in the month of fasting,” Khan added.

While Chief Municipal Officer Mushtaq Khan was not available for comments, his deputy spoke to The Express Tribune.

“Due to the decreasing water level in tube wells, the pressure has reduced,” he said, adding that despite these problems authorities are providing water to the UCs. However, he added, some consumers illegally construct water pumps on main lines which reduces the water supply for those receiving water at the end, primarily people living at high altitudes.

He assured the authorities have planned to take action against those involved in the irregularities so water can reach the affected areas too.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 13^th, 2013.