WASA tankers deployed for protest security force affect water supply in Rawalpindi

RAWALPINDI, Oct 05 (APP):Water supply to several localities of Rawalpindi has been affected after the Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) deployed its available water tankers in Taxila to meet the water requirements of police personnel brought from different areas in connection with security arrangements for the planned PTI protest.

The tankers were sent to Taxila on the request of the district administration as a large contingent of police personnel was deployed along the Punjab border and in and around Taxila to deal with the expected protest march towards Islamabad. Several government and private educational institutions in the area were also being used to accommodate the deployed personnel.

However, the continued deployment of the WASA tankers has created difficulties for residents of Rawalpindi, particularly in localities where tanker service is required to supplement the regular water-supply system.

Residents of colonies along Old Airport Road, Shah Khalid Colony and Satellite Town have reported problems with water availability and disruption of tanker services. Some residents said the regular supply through pipelines was not sufficient to meet their household requirements and they had to rely on water tankers.

The shortage of WASA tankers has also increased the dependence of residents on private water suppliers. According to complaints reported from the affected areas, private tanker operators have increased their charges from around Rs4,000 to Rs5,000, placing an additional financial burden on households already facing water shortages.

The issue is particularly significant because WASA’s tanker fleet provides supplementary water to localities where the regular distribution system does not adequately meet demand. While WASA authorities have said that the duration of regular water supply has been increased in some areas to compensate for the absence of tankers, residents continue to complain that the piped supply is insufficient.

WASA Managing Director Azizullah Khan had earlier confirmed that the tankers would remain in Taxila for as long as the police force deployed there required water. The latest situation indicates that the prolonged deployment has now become a source of difficulty for tanker-dependent communities in Rawalpindi.

Residents have questioned whether alternative arrangements could have been made for providing water to the security personnel instead of keeping the city’s available tanker fleet deployed outside Rawalpindi for an extended period.

The continued complaints have also highlighted the need for WASA to ensure an adequate alternative water-supply mechanism for affected localities until the tankers are brought back to Rawalpindi.

According to the latest reports, the tankers had still not returned to Rawalpindi by October 5, despite the originally planned protest schedule having undergone changes.