Resource paucity: ‘Govt trying to restore water schemes’

MNA Begum Perveen Masood Bhatti says govt is trying to restore inoperative water supply schemes.

BAHAWALPUR: Member National Assembly Begum Perveen Masood Bhatti on Wednesday said the government was trying to restore inoperative water supply schemes to provide the public access to potable water. Bhatti was addressing a seminar held to highlight the importance of clean drinking water by the District Steering Forum. Jamaate Islami Ameer Syed Waseem Akhtar said 90 per cent of water problems in the city would be resolved if the 54 inoperative turbines installed to provide potable water were repaired. He urged the government to release funds for the construction of an artificial lake on the Sutlej River. Water Project Committee Director Chaudhry Samiullah said plans were underway to install filtration plants in Bahawalpur.  District Steering Forum chairman Kashif Ejaz said the paucity of clean drinking water had reached acute proportions. Executive Engineer Public Health Syed Baqir Hussain said that only six out of the 18 tube-wells installed in 2007 were currently in working order.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 25^th, 2014.