RAWALPINDI: Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) on Tuesday formed teams to identify uncovered manholes in the city so it could be covered before the start of the monsoon season to avoid any untoward incident.

Wasa Managing Director Mohammad Tanveer directed the officials concerned to complete the survey in all the 46 union councils of the city and 12 union councils of the rural-cum-urban areas.

He said the survey teams should also provide the exact number of manholes in the city areas as Wasa had no figures on it. He said the work should be completed as soon as possible.The official said Wasa had also called tenders from private companies to provide covers for the manholes. The process would be completed within two or three weeks.

Tenders floated to arrange covers for manholes to avoid any untoward incident during monsoon rain, official says

There are three types of manholes: those on the sewerage lines come under Wasa, manholes on nullahs are looked after by Rawalpindi Waste Management Company and some manholes are with power and gas utility services.Mr Tanveer said Wasa would be responsible only for manholes on the sewerage lines.

He said there was a need to cover all the manholes in coming days and the district administration would ask other civic bodies to start the work. He said the survey teams would identify Wasa’s lines through maps. The teams have also been provided computerised record of the area.

Fire hydrants restored

The Wasa chief said two fire hydrants at Commercial Market, Satellite Town, and Pirwadhai General Bus Stand had been restored to provide water to rescue services in case of a fire incident.

He said the hydrants were installed in the past but remained ineffective for many years due to which the rescue services had to face difficulties in arranging water from distance areas.

He said Rawalpindi Development Authority Chairman Arif Abbasi visited the Pirwadhai General Bus Stand and Commercial Market and decided to utilise the hydrants.

He said fire incidents had increased in these areas and Rescue 1122 had to bring water from tubewells or overhead tanks located in other areas.

He said Wasa’s three hydrants at Liaquat Bagh, Commercial Market and Pirwadhai General Bus Stand would remain open round the clock to deal with any emergency.

Published in Dawn, March 20th, 2019