34 Water Projects Worth Rs416 Million in Hazara Town Inactive Due to WASA’s Negligence; Citizens Craving Every Drop: Hazara Democratic Party

QUETTA (Daily Qudrat Quetta): The central spokesman of the Hazara Democratic Party (HDP), expressing deep concern over the serious and worst drinking water crisis in Hazara Town and adjacent areas, has said that this densely populated settlement of millions of people has been dependent on private water supply schemes and the tanker mafia for the past three decades to obtain a basic necessity like water, which is an open proof of the criminal negligence of the relevant government institutions and their complete failure in providing basic civic facilities.

The statement said that following the 2018 general elections, the elected public representative of the Hazara Democratic Party, Qadir Ali Nail, ensured the approval and construction process of 34 water supply schemes through the WASA department, with a significant amount of approximately 416 million rupees (Rs41.60 crore) from fiscal year 2019 to fiscal year 2023, for the permanent remedy of the area’s long-standing water crisis, which included the installation of tube wells, large reservoirs for water storage and the construction of infrastructure for long pipelines. However, it is extremely regrettable that despite the spending of millions of rupees of public taxes, these important projects could not be fully activated to date due to the WASA department’s administrative negligence, poor monitoring and the bureaucracy’s traditional lack of interest. The relevant authorities must answer why the people are being deprived of their basic right by keeping these projects inactive.

The central statement further revealed that reports of alleged illegal occupation and commercial use of more than 6 tube wells installed with government resources in Kali Khali by influential elements are worrying. According to reports, water is being sold commercially through private water tankers from these government tube wells, while their heavy electricity expenses are being paid from the government exchequer. If this situation is correct, it is a serious question mark on the misuse of government assets, the open exploitation of public resources and WASA’s monitoring system. It is surprising that the installations meant to quench the people’s thirst are being used for private profiteering, and the administration is a spectator.

The statement said that after the recent action by KESCO/WAPDA against private water supply schemes under electricity theft and the disconnection of electricity connections, the entire structure of water supply in the area has collapsed, as a result of which millions of citizens of Hazara Town and its surroundings are craving every drop of water. With private schemes closed, tankers insufficient and government projects inactive, the people have been left helpless, which has now taken the form of a serious human tragedy beyond an administrative problem. The party expressed regret that despite the clear and unequivocal orders of the Balochistan High Court, the relevant departments are not showing seriousness.

The Hazara Democratic Party has strongly demanded that the Balochistan government and WASA department activate all under-construction water schemes on an emergency basis, immediately remove illegal occupation from all government tube wells, including in Kali Khali and other locations, and hand them over to WASA’s custody, conduct a high-level transparent investigation into elements involved in illegal use of electricity and illegal sale of water and initiate criminal action, and ensure free water supply to the affected settlements until a permanent solution, otherwise the entire responsibility for the situation arising and the public reaction will rest with the government and the relevant officers.