ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority (CDA)’s technical committee on Monday approved a revised PC-I for installing three sewage treatment plants (STPs) in the catchment area of Rawal Dam.

The CDA is going to set up the STPs in rural area of Islamabad to stop contamination of the dam.

In the absence of STPs, Rawal Dam receives untreated sewage from unplanned localities in its catchment area, contaminating the water.

The STPs will be set up in lower Shahdra, Bari Imam and near Banigala to stop the flow of untreated water into the dam.

The technical committee headed by Director General Works Umar Farooq approved the draft PC-I which will be submitted to Planning Commission for approval of the Punjab government and then the Central Development Working Party (CDWP).

STPs will be set up in rural area of capital to check flow of sewage into Rawal Dam

The tentative cost of the project is Rs3.97 billion which will be shared by the federal and Punjab governments by 64 and 36 per cent, respectively.

The Planning Commission had already approved the PC-I in principle with a direction to the CDA to go for the tender process. But before the award of work, the PC-I should be resubmitted for approval of the Punjab government and the CDWP.

Recently, the CDA called tenders and opened financial bids and received the low bid of around Rs4 billion from the joint ventures of four companies - ZKB, Hanan, 3Ws and Al-Fajar International.

Sources said the technical committee checked relevant documents and allowed the CDA to send the PC-I to the Planning Commission.

“In the next few days, we will send the summary to the Planning Commission which will get an input from the Punjab government and then place it before CDWP for approval,” said an official of the CDA. He said after approval the CDWP, the CDA will award the contract to the lowest bidder.

The official said once started, the project would be completed in 14 months and the STPs would treat around 9.62 million gallon daily (mgd).

The Supreme Court a few years ago, while hearing a suo motu case regarding contamination of Rawal Dam, had directed installation of STPs.

In 2018, the apex court had also sought reports from the Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad (MCI) and concerned directorates for their failure in launching the project.

Earlier, the ICT administration and the CDA were supposed to execute the project but the MCI took it over and included it in the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) 2018-19 as an unapproved project. The then PML-N government in its last budget had allocated Rs400 million for the unapproved project. However, besides other unapproved projects, the PTI government decided not to fund it the same fiscal year.

Officials said the CDA had not taken over the project and would execute it in collaboration with the Punjab government.

“We have received financial bids and as soon as the project gets approval from the CDWP, we will award the contract ,” said an officer of the CDA.

Published in Dawn, July 6th, 2021