Power cut causes water shortage
RAWALPINDI, June 15: Water supply to most parts of Islamabad and Rawalpindi was suspended on Wednesday after Iesco cut off electricity to Sangjani filtration plant for non-payment of dues, amounting to Rs90 million.
Normally, the twin cities got 23 million gallons of water daily (MGD) from Khanpur Dam via the Sangjani filtration plant — nine MGD to Rawalpindi Cantonment Board, eight MGD to CDA and six MGD to Wasa.
The officials of civic agencies told Dawn that the suspension of electricity to the filtration plant, which pumped water to the supply lines of the twin cities, would lead to severe water shortage in the next three to four days, especially in the cantonment areas that depend wholly on water from Khanpur Dam.
RCB’s Cantonment Executive Officer Rana Manzoor Ahmed Khan said it was unfair on part of Iesco to cut electricity supply to the filtration plant and leave the people without water in the sweltering heat.
He said RCB had paid Rs20 million to CDA to pay the dues of the power utility company.
The official said his organisation would run its tubewells to their full capacity and would also seek help from Wasa.
CDA Director General Water Supply Sanaullah Aman told this reporter that Iesco had cut off the electricity supply to Sangjani filtration plant without issuing any notice to the civic agencies.
He said the CDA would pay the dues within two or three days and get the electricity supply restored. The CDA arranged 10 MGD of water from Rawal Dam for supply to the affected areas of G10, G-11, F-10 and F-11, he added.
Mr Aman said Iesco’s dues were not a big amount, admitting the CDA could not clear the dues since February. According to him, before cutting the electricity supply, Iesco had to issue a notice and after that if the CDA failed to pay the dues then it could suspend the supply.
“It is unfair that it cut off supply to the plant which directly affects the general public,” he said.
The RCB officials said water supply had been affected in Westridge, Aliabad, Allahabad, Misrial Road, Peshawar Road (Lanes No 17), Tench Bhatta, Allama Iqbal Colony, Kamalabad, Dhoke Syedan Chowk, Kalma Chowk, Lalazar, Tulsa Road and adjoining areas.
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