Muhammad Daud
As we know that the current metro area population of Islamabad in 2024 is 1, 267, 000, but its pure water level is decreasing day by day which harmed the daily life of the citizens. Right now the need of the capital city is about 60 million gallons of water per day but only 45 million gallons of water is supplied to it per day. So it has the short fall of 15 million gallons which is actually disturbing the life citizens, for the solution of that problem that is occurring in the capital, there is a need of long term planning to increase the water level.
If look at the capital we have lots of springs and streams in mountains those are flowing freely without any small dam on them. The capital have six hiking trails and mountains tracks, have springs on deferent places.
Especially the trail 5 of the Margalla Hills National Park has become a new tourist spot which is rich with natural beauty and trekking destination for nature lover’s hikers and tourist circles across the country, including the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad.
Groups of young people come to enjoy its green corridors, especially the spring that flows here which keeps the water running for 24 hours which the visitors here enjoy a lot. According to health experts, hiking these trails is a good activity as it not only reduces your mental stress but also maintains your blood sugar levels and provides you with catharsis of bad feelings and positive vibes from nature provides opportunity for absorption.
Trekking on these track gives an opportunity to learn more about the natural environment and flora and to meet unique birds that hover on the tree branches in the forest but like other tourist places in the country, visitors have started throwing garbage here, which CDA should take steps to prevent.
After flowing some distance it takes the form of a small stream so this water can be used by making a small dam. It should be remembered that many areas of the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad are facing severe water shortage due to the drop in the underground water level and the obstruction of water supply from the nearby dams.
According to the Water and Sanitation Agency, Rawal Dam There has been a reduction in water supply which was insufficient to meet the demand. One of the main reasons behind this shortfall is power outages that prevented Vasa from turning on 460 tube wells to add additional gallons of water. Besides, sources in the Ministry of Water Resources say that Tarbela Dam, Mangla Dam and Chashma Barrage have reached the dead level, which will further increase the water shortage.
Meanwhile the residents of Rawalpindi Cantonment Board and Chaklala Cantonment Board are the most affected. According to media reports, a resident of Afshan Colony said RCB was supplying water on alternate basis but for the past few months, we are getting half the quantity of water every fourth to fifth day.
The resident said that the local water supply company has stopped water supply in their area and they are depending on water tankers which are very expensive. Apart from Cantt areas, satellite town, Sadiqabad, Khayaban Sirsyed, Fuji Colony , Naseerabad, Shukrial, Khanna, Ghori Town, Gulzar Quaid, Airport Housing Society, Gullrez I and II, Dhok Chowdhury, Dhok Munshi Gharibabad and Jhanda Chichi are facing acute shortage of water.
Residents of these areas have demanded the government to take effective measures to solve the problem of water shortage permanently. It is the primary responsibility of the elected government. For this purpose, if a small dam is constructed on the spring flowing along Islamabad Trail 5, then it will help to raise the water level on the one hand, and on the other hand, it will also increase the beauty of this track.
The hiking enthusiasts coming here will get to see more beauty. Therefore, it is important that the Capital Development Authority can build a dam here by doing a survey and investing a small amount of capital, which the higher authorities need to think about.
It is hoped that the members of the Assembly and Senate elected from Islamabad will also pay full attention to this important issue. Thus this problem has been going on for the past several decades but now it has increased considerably and people here are longing for water. This major problem can be solved by constructing small dams at many other places like Trail 5.
The drinking water is the most important issue right now in country due to the indiscriminate wastage and use of water, the level of underground water is going down. That is why the maximum areas of the country have been affected but that problem feels particularly in the federal capital Islamabad where the most citizens have to buy drinking water, which is an extra load on their budget.
In order to find a solution to that problem, suggestions for storing water at different places and making reservoirs on natural springs have been given for many decades but unfortunately they are not being implemented due to which water scarcity is increasing with increasing population of the capital city. One of the methods suggested by scientists to raise the water level in Islamabad is to dig artificial recharge wells.
Artificial ground water recharge wells in the federal capital have shown promising initial results.
It is believed that they can help with urban flood management as well as the city’s underground water storage but this is a relatively expensive method, unlike if the springs in Islamabad should dammed and stored. This act will greats one of the big ponds in which the water will be stored and without any artificial process the underground water level will rise to a considerable extent in a short period of time.
It should be remembered that more than 70% of domestic water needs in Pakistan are met from ground water but groundwater resources are often mismanaged and depleted at alarming and unsustainable rates.
According to a report, 50 artificial ground recharge wells were dug in Islamabad between September 2021 and June 2022. The first well was inaugurated on June 24 in the city’s Kitchenar Park, developed by the Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources in collaboration with the International Water Management Institute and Water Aid.
Other wells have been developed by the Capital Development Authority which provides municipal services including water supply to the residents of Islamabad.
According to a survey conducted by the PCRWR, 589 mm of rain fell between May and September this year. 1.9 million gallons of water were added to the city’s reservoirs but this water is insufficient to meet the needs of the city.
It is true that there are several water reservoirs under Islamabad. There is no doubt that the CDA currently supplies about 70 million gallons a day while the standard requirement is 110 mgd or about 35 gallons per person per day. The World Health Organization recommends that 20 liters are needed per day to take care of basic hygiene and food needs, excluding bathing and washing clothes. At present, CDA provides water on rotation.
A large home office or shop receives 4.5 hours of water every other day. If CDA had a water supply of 110 mgd, it could provide constant water supply. Remember that was before the year 2000. After that, the demand for water in Islamabad has started to increase due to which there has been a shortage.
These efforts of CDA should be appreciated but with it however many natural springs are available. If dams are tied on them not only can more water be collected artificially the water level in the city will rise.
It is hoped that the CDA authorities will pay attention to this aspect especially to build a dam at the earliest opportunity on the springs flowing along Trail 5 of Islamabad.
The level can be raised if the present management of CDA starts work on this proposed project it will definitely be a big decision. It’s hopped, the present establishment of CDA and government will take serious actions to raise the level of water in federal capital.
(Writer is the senior journalist and author, can be seen on X @daudjour)
