PESHAWAR, June 8: Growing vegetables on empty plots and watering them from the public water supply lines in Hayatabad township by the residents is one of the major reasons of increasing water shortage in this posh locality.

The township, which houses about 60,000 dwellers, is also hit hard by the mismanagement of the departments concerned, who have turned a blind eye to the misuse of the water resources.

Despite the fact the City Municipal Development Department (CDMD) supplies about four million gallons water daily to the residents of Hayatabad, and the estimated consumption is about 2.5 million gallons, the people still face water shortage. And the situation is worsening by the day.

The residents, particularly in phase-II and IV, are facing severe water shortage as they have to store water in barrels or plastic containers for drinking and washing purposes. The residents have lodged complaints with the CDMD, but the staff is unable to redress their grievance.

The CDMD officials hold big and small cottages responsible for the persisting water shortage in the area. They said the residents had installed heavy pumps to suck water from the main pipelines not only to take care of their routine needs, but also to shower green belts and vegetable gardens on empty plots.

The department is planning to undertake operation to check misuse of water. An official said that CDMD was adopting certain measures to minimize wastage of water in residential sectors. The department has directed its Micro Municipal Services Hayatabad to initiate operation against illegal water pumps installed inside houses and uproot the vegetable gardens.

These steps, the officials believe, would reduce misuse of water in the area. The department has also directed the consumers to construct underground water tanks inside their houses for storing water.

They said the operation against illegal water pumps was likely to be started from Monday and the women police force would conduct raids on residences to recover water pumps, while the CDMD staff would destroy the gardens in front of these houses.

He said the installation of pumps not only caused water shortage, it also resulted in low pressure, with the water not reaching the overhead tanks.

Sources said the CDMD had abandoned water meter installation plan in Hayatabad for some unknown reasons.

The defunct Peshawar Development Authority had planned to install some 10,000 water meters, aimed at reducing wastage of water and enhancing revenue of the authority.