November 23, 2006	Thursday	Ziqa'ad 1, 1427

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ISLAMABAD, Nov 22: A crisis meeting called by Minister for Water and Power Liaquat Jatoi here on Wednesday decided “to rationalise” the Rs45 billion Ghazi Barotha Water Supply Project (GBWSP) for Islamabad and Rawalpindi after the opposition-ruled NWFP objected to the project.

Punjab also was said to have opposed the project until Rawalpindi was included as a beneficiary in it.

Official sources said Mr Jatoi constituted a committee to resolve the matter within one month.

Wapda’s Member Power Mushtaq Chaudhry would head the committee with representatives from the Indus River System Authority (Irsa), the Capital Development Authority (CDA), the Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) and the Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB).

They have been tasked to prepare a detailed report on demand assessment and supply options of the project prepared by the CDA.

CDA Chairman Kamran Lashari indicated to Dawn after the crisis meeting that the original plan to draw 450 million gallons of water per day (mgd) from Ghazi Barotha system on Indus river may have to be reduced to remove NWFP’s objections.

The meeting directed the CDA to come up with a new plan, in collaboration with Rawalpindi authorities, in one month.

The new plan should give the exact, year-wise requirement of water of the twin cities and should be submitted to the committee within one month.

“It is a technical matter. I cannot say anything at this stage by how much the proposed supply of 450mgd can be reduced,” the CDA chairman said.

Mr Lashari said the CDA was assured at Wednesday’s meeting that the NWFP would be convinced to resolve the row.

Officials said the NWFP move stunned the CDA and the Rawalpindi District Government (RDG) as they believed GBWSP was the only remedy not only to overcome the current water scarcity but to cater to the water needs of the two cities for next 50 years. The current requirement of the two cities is 230 million gallons per day.

They said the NWFP government complained to the Indus River System Authority that the Centre did not consult it on drawing of water from the river flowing through its territory.