| RAWALPINDI: The Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB) has requested the Punjab government to release the grant of Rs110 million to complete water supply projects in cantonment areas before the start of the summer season.
The government had allocated Rs230 million for the water supply network and construction of three underground tanks and filtration plants.
However, the provincial government released Rs120 million for the schemes and the RCB completed the work in February and has been waiting for the release of the remaining amount.
A senior official of RCB told Dawn that the civic agency had prepared the schemes for thickly-populated areas.
“Under the schemes, two underground water tanks were constructed on Misrial Road and Lane No 5 on Peshawar Road besides laying a supply network.”
He said two filtration plants had also been constructed in the area so that people would get clean drinking water. The remaining populated areas required improvement of water supply but the civic agency is waiting for the release of the funds.
Official says waiting for remaining Rs110m to complete schemes in thickly-populated areas
He said that the RCB had requested the provincial government to release funds to complete the schemes.
He said there was a need to construct more underground and overhead water tanks so water from Khanpur Dam and tubewells would be stored and provided to the local residents.
On the other hand, provincial government officials said the caretaker government had frozen development funds but it would release amounts for ongoing projects.
It may be mentioned that most parts of the cantonment areas are being provided water coming from Khanpur Dam. The RCB has also requested the federal government to increase the quota of water from the dam. The RCB is getting nine million gallon daily (MGD) water, Wasa six MGD and CDA 10 MGD from Khanpur Dam.
In most areas of the Rawalpindi and Chaklala cantonments, the underground water level has decreased.
In summers, a severe water shortage is experienced in cantonment areas and people mostly rely on water from private tankers. The private water tankers bring water from private tubewells installed near Soan River and adjoining areas.
The tanker operators charged the consumers Rs2200 to Rs2500 per tanker but they have increased the rates after the recent surge in petroleum prices.
Published in Dawn, March 6th, 2023 |
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