RAWALPINDI – The residents of Rawalpindi city have demanded clean drinking water facility as most parts of the over populous urban center were getting contaminated water.
People belonging to various walks of life expressed their dismay over non-availability of safe drinking water in many large parts of the city.
The low lying areas including Arya Mohallah, Dhoke Khaba, Umer Road, Nadeem Colony, Dhoke Elahi Bukush and some other localities were getting polluted water whereas the residents of Adayala Road had been facing acute water shortage.
A resident of Nadeem Colony Arshad Malik said there was no supply of clean drinking water to the locality and the residents had to fetch drinking water from far-flung areas.
A household woman Asma from Airport Housing Society Sector 4 expressed her deep concerns over water issue and said that they spent a major portion of their income to buy water bowsers which supply contaminated water at high rates. “This water cannot be even used for washing purposes,” she complained. Another complainant from Dhoke Elahi Bukush, Naeem, said that due to muddy and polluted water in their area, they purchase mineral water that was very costly and unaffordable.
There are some other localities of the city facing acute shortage of water but their grievances remained unheard till the summer season set in.
Bisma Shaukat, a homemaker residing in Akal Garh Mohallah, said the area was busy junction of residential settlements, bazaars and wholesale markets but despite its important location and being one of the oldest towns established before partition, it had poor water supply which was mostly contaminated, filthy and unhygienic.
She demanded the authorities concerned to take note of contaminated water being supplied to the masses that had been triggering a rise in the spread of diseases like hepatitis, jaundice, diarrhea and others.
On the other hand, Water and Sanitation Agency has claimed that millions of rupees are being spent for the provision of clean drinking water along with replacement of old pipelines to address the issue.
