CDA to launch awareness campaign on judicious use of water

[Salman]

CDA to launch awareness campaign on judicious use of water

CDA to launch awareness campaign on judicious use of water

ISLAMABAD: Capital Development Authority (CDA) would initiate a series of seminars on judicious use of water from January 19, raising awareness among schoolchildren for preserving this precious resource.

The first seminar of the awareness campaign will be arranged at Global System of Integrated Studies (GSIS), which will be attended by the students of 10 private educational institutions. Talking to APP on Monday, Director General Water Management Sanaullah Aman said the Authority was arranging seminars in schools and colleges to sensitise children about judicious use of water.

Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) was also being involved for raising awareness among students of federal government schools and colleges, he said. Besides displaying banners and posters, awareness material, including pamphlets and brochures, will be distributed among young students, while lectures and demonstrations will also be arranged in all the educational institutions.

The seminars would continue following an awareness walk, debate competition and inter-school competitions on water-related issues, he said. Aman said the seminars were being arranged on four slogans: ‘Wash your car with a bucket’, ‘Use hand sprinkler for gardening’, ‘Take shower for 4 minutes’ and ‘Use mug for shaving and cooking food’. He said the banners with the messages carrying `Water is Life’ and `Save Water’ were being displayed in different markets across the federal capital, besides disseminating awareness through LCDs installed at various places in the city.

However, door-to-door awareness material would also be distributed among residents, urging them to join hands with the Authority for conservation of water, and extend cooperation to the CDA by intimating its control room in case anyone was found misusing drinking water, Aman said. Earlier, the CDA issued an open letter to all residents of the federal capital with a view to seek their active participation in its anti-litter and judicious use of water drive.

The letter says, challans would be issued to those who waste water on washing cars, gardening and other chores, however, those who will not avoid lavish use of water, the authority will cancel their connections. The CDA will also take action against those who have installed water pumps and motors for pumping extra water from the pipelines, causing trouble for others.

The Authority has been effectively pursuing its plan to avert water shortage and ensure steady water supply to the residents, Aman said. He said that heavy penalties were being imposed on the people for misusing water, and the senior special magistrate of the CDA was hearing their cases. Meanwhile, the director said, the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad will get reduced quantity of water till January 20 due to suspension of raw water supply from Khanpur Dam to Sangjani Water Treatment Plant.

Supply of raw water will remain suspended due to de-silting of Left Bank Canal (LBC). Ten million gallon per day water will be supplied to Rawalpindi and five million gallon to Islamabad. However, the water pumping has been increased from Simly dam from 32 MGD to 35 MGD to overcome the shortage. About the water tanker demand, he said, it earlier reached 800-900 due to load shedding in the capital, but now it has reduced to 500, adding that the Authority was taking steps to ensure smooth water supply to its residents.