DHA administrator pledges to solve residents' problems

A representative delegation of 17-member Defence Association Co-ordination Committee (DACC) led by its Secretary General Aziz Saharwardy met with the Defence Housing Authority (DHA) Administrator Brigadier Maqsood Hussain at the DHA's office here on Saturday. According to an announcement, the delegation held a detailed meeting with the Administrator that was also attended by the Clifton Cantonment Board (CCB) Chief Executive Officer and concerned DHA and CCB officials. The DACC delegation expressed its satisfaction over marked improvement in streetlights functioning in DHA for past few months except certain areas, which needed more attention.
The Administrator directed CCB-CEO to devise an efficient maintenance and monitoring system of streetlights ensuring timely replacement of faulty conductor and timers on electric poles.
The delegation also pointed towards an acute water scarcity in most parts of DHA, which had worsened, with advent of summers. The Administrator told that situation of water crisis in Defence had accentuated due to shortfall of almost 3 million gallons per day (MGD) water received from KWSB. He said DHA was receiving around 5 MGD Of water from Water Board as against its stipulated requirement of 8 MGD. He, however, enunciated various long and short-term measures adopted by DMA to overcome the pressing water scarcity. He said strategic measures like the desalination plant being established by DHA would take some time to yield results. But said, paradoxically, DHA was taking short-term measures to mitigate the woes of residents by revamping water supply distribution system, improving water management and looking for alternate and diverse source for procurement of additional water. Brigadier Maqsood further stated that DHA would encourage private sector initiative of producing potable water commercially and would extend all help by giving them land for setting up small desalination units.
He told that DHA, in conjunction with CCB staff, was making mini complaint centre in each phase of Defence, which would respond to residents' complaints promptly and effectively. The Administrator hoped that these centres would become operational very soon. He stressed on frequent contacts of DHA administration with Residents' Associations to get necessary feed back for improvement of civic amenities and other allied facilities for the residents.