LAHORE: The governing body of the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) has asked the Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) to continue execution of six wastewater treatment plants.

The Ravi Urban Development Authority (RUDA) wants to execute these projects since they fall under the authority area.

According to minutes of a meeting of the LDA body, the plants are to be established at Mehmood Booti, Shahdara, Babu Sabu, Kattarband, Mohlanwal and Ferozepur Road (near Hudiara drain).

“The wastewater of the Lahore city is being discharged into the River Ravi without any treatment owing to the reason that currently no such facility exists in Lahore’’, reads the minutes.

The minutes mention previous studies that recommended immediate setting up of plants and identified six locations in the city.

“In the light of previous studies, multiple efforts were made in the last three decades by Wasa for the establishment of such plants. However, the projects couldn’t be materialized due to unavoidable reasons. In May 2019, Wasa engaged consultancy services of Nespak for the preparation of design and PC-1 for Mehood Boot, Shahdara and Babu Sabu plants”.

International donor agencies and development banks have shown interest to provide financial assistance for the wastewater plants at Mehmood Booti Shahdara, Babu Sabu and Kattarband.

Recently, RUDA was established to carry out the housing project. The wastewater treatment of the River Ravi is imperative for the project and also Wasa plants fall within the area of Ravi project.

In this context, RUDA requested Wasa for the provision of previous studies, land related data, correspondence with international donor agencies and data pertaining to land acquisition.

“Since the wastewater treatment is a vital component of Ravi urban development project, and execution of whole project from a single entity may remove several bottlenecks that have hindered the establishment of plants in the past, therefore, in the light of the above and to streamline the execution of the plants at single source, this matter may kindly be transferred to the RUDA”, minutes quote Wasa as sought in the meeting.

However, the LDA body rejected the proposal stating that “since no formal transfer request has been received for these pants, only the information shall be shared with the Ruda as requested. The project will continue to be executed by Lahore Wasa,” read the minutes.

Published in Dawn, December 24th, 2020