I LIVE in Islamabad’s F-11 sector. Although I have spent almost 50 years of my life in the Middle East, frequent visits back home have helped me keep a close link with my country.

Now, I have moved back permanently. Since my return, I have observed certain social and environmental problems that I wish to bring to the readers’ attention.

Estimates show that the country is fast moving towards a severe water shortage, but sadly I have observed that people in general have a callous attitude towards the use of this precious resource.

It is quite common to see residents or their servants washing cars without giving two hoots to water usage; wastage, actually.

I would suggest that the government deploy an inspector who reports such activities to the relevant department, which may then serve notices on such people. A fine of Rs10,000 can be imposed for the first violation and can be increased for habitual offenders.

The inspector should simply notify the resident of the house, whether they are owners or tenants. The violator must be obliged to pay the fine within a week. A delay in payment after the grace period should lead to additional fines.

I sincerely hope that this one state-backed action can help us prevent 70-80 per cent of water from going down the drain.

Another issue that I would like to bring to attention is of garbage collection. There is no denying that the Capital Development Authority (CDA) vehicles do come to empty the dustbins, but they need to visit more frequently and the process needs to be streamlined.

There are so many other similar issues — rash driving and faulty traffic signals, for instance — that only reflect our lack of civic sense and the absence of an effective city administration.

However, I want to stick to the two issues mentioned above — water conservation and garbage collection — so that at least some measures can be taken in this regard and we get somewhere forward.

Ikramullah Khan
Islamabad

Published in Dawn, May 18th, 2022