RAWALPINDI, Feb 19: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has offered $50 million assistance for the Rawalpindi Environment Improvement Project, officials said here on Wednesday.

The project envisages augmentation of water supply system; rehabilitation and extension of sewerage and drainage network; setting up of sewerage treatment plant; support to solid waste management system; urban upgradation works; environmental improvement works on the upstream of Rawal Lake and Nullah Leh and strengthening of Tehsil Municipal Administration (TMA) and related civic agencies.

ADB consultants, the officials said, would be arriving here in a couple of months to study the project.

District Nazim Raja Tariq Kiani, talking to the bank officials during the meeting, said his government regretted its failure to meet the deadline for the completion of the Nullah Leh expansion project. He said he would not like this to happen in future. Therefore, he suggested that all stakeholders regarding this project should be taken into confidence before embarking on this mega-project.

Mr Kiani said he was conscious of the fact that the bank money spent on the project would help improve the infrastructure in Rawalpindi city, but would be a debt on every citizen of this country. Therefore, he said, he intended to utilize the project finances in the most efficient and prudent manner.

The Nazim constituted a committee to study the project and prepare its feasibility.

The committee, headed by the Nazim, included officials of the civic agencies — Wasa, RDA, TMA, RCB, PMU, W&S.

The meeting was told that TMA owned 200 kanals in Losar village, which could be brought into use for solid management works.

The ADB director, Dr Shakeel Ahmed Khan, told the meeting that under the project, Khanpur Dam water supply would be linked to Ghazi Barotha Dam and Phagwari would be connected with Jhelum River.