The quality of Rawal Dam water is deteriorating alarmingly by the day, courtesy to several factors including human settlements, poultry wastes, recreational activities, deforestation, indiscriminate construction activity, erosion, sedimentation and above all, the blithe attitude on part of the concerned authorities to counter such perils.
Constructed on Korang River with a catchment area of 106 square miles and 84,000 acre feet of water generation capacity in an average rainfall year, the Rawal Dam is the main source of water supply for Rawalpindi city and cantonment. The Dam was used to be the cleanest water reservoir of the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi, but for last few decades, the situation is worsening due to immense level of contamination, posing serious threats to the users.
The acute shortage of housing units touching 50000, has compelled the people to raise structures haphazardly near the catchment areas of the Dam. Villages of Bhara Kahu, Malpur, Banigala and Noorpur Shahan are settled close to the Dam. Cashing in on the situation, dozens of the housing societies are also operating with many of them not bothering to develop their sewerage infrastructure and outflow their wastage in the Rawal Dam, risking lives of residents of the twin cities.
The sole responsible lies with CDA and Punjab government, which miserably failed to have constant check and counter the haphazard construction activity in the area falling in Zone-IV of Islamabad and outside it. What to talk of residential units, the concerned authorities never acted against near situated poultry farms throwing wastage into the lake.
"As many as 200 poultry farms with 500 sheds are situated in the catchment area of the Dam; though some of them have basic wastage disposal system but they cannot prevent the inflow of contagions in the Dam," said a senior CDA official. The development of recreational points like Chattar Park on Korang River, Lake View Park on bank of the Dam contribute to great extent to pollute dam water as the human and other wastes end up in the water and recently added sports activities as water scooters and cars would add to the worse.
According to a study by a public sector university, the Rawal Dam water also contains toxic pollution, as huge area in the catchment is under cultivation and people use pesticides to get increased productivity that is in no way less than a health risk for the people using this water. The area is also subjected to the deforestation as the population inhabiting in nearby villages have not been provided gas supply and jungle wood is only source of energy for them, leading to the erosion of soil and increase in siltation and turbidity level.
The Punjab Government, for the first time, has earmarked about Rs 80 million for a feasibility study and hires a consultant to seek new scientific methods for improving the purification process at Rawal Dam filtration plant. The project, incurring Rs 1.6 billion would be completed in three years that would enrich efficiency of the filtration plant and installation of bio-reef filters.
According to the CDA spokesperson, the cleanliness of Rawal Dam water should be the main responsibility of Punjab government as sole beneficiary is Rawalpindi City and cantonment area. He said the CDA chief, Imtiaz Inayat Elahi was cautious about the pollution in the water and he has recently disallowed the boats and other sports activities without license issued by the Authority.
However, he said the Authority has also banned the entry of other boats licensed by Small Dams Organisation in CDA's boundary but the sailors repeatedly violate the directive and cause pollution.
He said only one out of four nullahs contributing water in the lake, falls in CDA's jurisdiction that passes from near Bari Imam. The Authority is also mulling to divert the very nullah to avoid any controversy in the future. According to the official, the proper maintenance of the reservoir is essential to gain maximum benefits in future and most important benefit is the provision of clean drinking water to the people.
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