Amidst acute water shortage in the federal capital, the Capital Development Authority (CDA) has proposed to increase water charges by 35 to 40 percent, it is learnt. The residents of federal capital are facing acute water shortage compelling them to call private tankers that are charging from Rs 500 to 800 per tanker.
Services Department of CDA has tankers for providing water to residents, however on repeated request only one third of a tanker is supplied per household at a cost of Rs 33. Several residents however accused the tanker drivers of charging up to Rs 400-600 per household.
Sajid Ramzan spokesperson of the CDA told Business Recorder that the civic body was providing 75 million gallons (mg) per day against demand of 110 mg from Simly Dam, Khanpur Dam and tube wells. Water consumption increases manifold during summer and unscheduled load shedding is the major reason for the water shortage. He said that civic body spent more than Rs 2 billion on water infrastructure and resources, while it collects only Rs 25 million annually from water charges. Therefore a proposal has been tabled to increase water charges, Ramzan confirmed.
Ramzan further said that the Authority has been making all out effort to meet the water shortage through water tankers. To a question he said that it is possible that some drivers may charge extra in their personal capacity; however the civic body would take action if any body was found guilty.
Saleem Ahmad, a resident of G-7/2 claimed that CDA's water tanker service was not efficient and that complaints registered even early in the morning do not guarantee a supply. He said that ageing pipelines and lack of planning have combined to add to residents woes. He further said that the Services Department of CDA is providing water through water tankers to capital dwellers but the drivers of these water tankers charge in excess of what is determined as the price.
Sources in the CDA revealed that the civic body has a total of 51 tankers, out of which 15 were out of service due to technical fault, and the remaining 36 tankers are available to serve the public. However due to growing water shortage, the arrangements are not adequate to meet demand.