Pakistan

Ignoring the environment: Rawal Lake cleaning project faces delay

ICT Administration’s lethargy may remove project from next budget.

Shahzad Anwar February 14, 2015

Due to continuous flow of contaminants, the water of the reservoir has turned yellowish. PHOTO: FILE

ISLAMABAD: A project to clean Rawal Lake and Simly Dam faces possible delays as the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Administration has failed to submit a PC-1 of the project to the Finance Ministry.

Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Pak-EPA) and civic authorities of the twin cities had agreed in October last year to install four water treatment plants at Rawal Lake in the first phase. The ICT was to prepare and submit a PC-1 “without delay” to the Finance Ministry but three months on, the plan has not been prepared yet. The project, it is feared, might not be a part of the 2015-16 budget due to the delay.

The plan agreed by ICT, Pak-EPA, Capital Development Authority (CDA), and Rawalpindi Water and Sanitation Authority was estimated to cost Rs2.2 billion.

Water pollution in Rawal Lake and Simly Dam has been on the rise recently.

Sewage water being used for agriculture

Parliamentarians have also voiced concerns at the rising pollution in Rawal Lake and reports of sewage being used for agriculture in suburban Islamabad.

The National Assembly Standing Committee on Climate Change, in a recent meeting, sought a response from the Climate Change Division over the usage of sewage for growing vegetables and crops in Tarlai and pollution in dams.

Minister for State for Parliamentary Affairs Sheikh Aftab told the body on behalf of Pak-EPA that the Pakistan Environmental Protection Act, 1997 does not deal with issues that fall under the ICT municipal laws. He said that new laws were being formulated to address the problem.

The minister also claimed that the authorities regularly checked water from the reservoirs, tube-wells and filtration plants.

Pak-EPA officials told parliamentarians that the two dams are the source of water for agriculture and drinking purposes for residents of Islamabad and Rawalpindi. It said that environment had been devolved to the provinces under the 18th Amendment.

The agency said it was working with the ICT Administration and CDA to stop sewage polluting the catchment areas of Rawal and Simly dams.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 15^th, 2015.