June 20, 2008	Friday	Jamadi-us-Sani 15, 1429

RAWALPINDI, June 19: The Rawal Town administration on Wednesday warned that the looming monsoon rains would play havoc with the city due to large scale digging by the Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa).

Rawal Town Nazim Sheikh Rashid Shafique on Wednesday warned that the Wasa would be responsible for any kind of casualty if it failed to complete work before the onset of monsoon.

Taking serious notice of the complaints lodged by residents of various localities, Mr Shafique said that the civic agency had been digging to lay pipeline for the last one year but had miserably failed in completing a single project.

“The Wasa must cover the open manholes and complete excavation work before start of monsoon otherwise the monsoon would flood the city and the situation would become uncontrollable,” the Rawal Town Nazim said in a statement issued here.

He urged Rawalpindi DCO Jamal Mustafa to direct Wasa authorities to complete the work and refrain from any further digging keeping in view the hardships of the people due to the construction activities.

The residents have complained that the excavation work along Asghar Mall, Saidpur Road, Pendora Market, Commercial Market and other so many union councils had caused nuisance for them as the Wasa authorities were not making any progress on the work resulting in traffic jams, stagnant water and other problems.

The nazim warned that the Wasa would be held responsible for any untoward incident in case it could not complete work on the projects before the start of monsoon.

He said that the maintenance of manholes and drains too was the responsibility of the civic agency and said open manholes and drains are death trap for little children.

“The Wasa must direct its contractor to speed up work on the sewage and water supply lines otherwise the residents and the Rawal Town administration would take action against the civic body,” he warned.