RAWALPINDI: The sizzling heat and continuous water shortage have made the lives of residents miserable.

The residents of cantonment areas including Chur Chowk, Afshan Colony, Tench Bhatta, Meharabad, Habib Colony, Dhoke Hafiz and Misrial Road lodged complaints with the civic agencies about water shortage.

Saleem Ahmed, a resident of Afshan Colony, said they had been facing watershortage since the start of the summer season. He said Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB) charged the residents for water every month but supplied the basic commodity for half an hour after two days.

Sajid Khan, a resident of Tench Bhatta, said that there was a dire need to arrange waterfor the residents as they had to go to other colonies to fetch water.

Mohammad Kareem, a resident of Arya Mohallah, said the residents were facing shortageof water but Water and Sanitation Agency Agency (Wasa) failed to solve the issue. He said water supply from the area tubewell had stopped as its motor was out of order.

Akram Khan, a resident of Lal Kurti, said despite complaints lodged with the Chaklala Cantonment Board (CCB), watersupply to the area had not been improved.

Naseem Ahmed, of Gulraiz Housing Scheme, said neither the PTI nor the PML-N solved thewaterissue. He said he had to hire private tanker at Rs1,500 to meet thewatershortage.

When contacted, officials of civic bodies in the cantonment and city areas said the demand increased in the summer and people should not waste water.

They said there was a dire need to bring more water from dams as tubewells had failed to meet the increased requirement of the residents.

Published in Dawn, June 25th, 2021