RAWALPINDI, April 6: The Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) is in a fix over the publication of a new tender by the Capital Development Authority (CDA) inviting fresh contractors for boating and fishing in the Rawal Lake , Dawn has learnt.

"The tender has been published in some newspapers recently, which has created a wave of despair among the agency officials, as these activities could further pollute the lake," said an official.

Citing reasons behind the concern of the agency, the source said according to the agency's statistics Rawal Lake was the major source of water supply to most of its 1.4 million consumers. He said the lake was polluted to an alarming level and if timely action was not taken the situation might further deteriorate.

In a meeting of the Rawal Lake Catchment Management Committee (RLCMC) held recently it came to light that the level of Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) of Rawal Lake water had jumped up to an alarming level of 680 milligram per litre (mg/l) compared to the 80 mg/l approved by the National Environmental Quality Standard (NEQS) for ordinary waste and surface water. Such a high BOD consumption means the water of the lake is as much as eight times more polluted than ordinary sewerage or waste water.

The Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) of the Rawal Lake has also skyrocketed from 17 mg/l in 1995 to 1020 mg/l in 2003 due to the continued fishing and boating activities approved by the Capital Development Authority.

Other reasons for contamination were 170 poultry farms and 360 poultry sheds located in the Rawal Lake catchment area whose waste flowed down into the lake. The RLCMC, which comprised the officials of Wasa, Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (PEPA), Capital Development Authority (CDA), Environmental Protection Department, Punjab and Small Dams Organisation (SDO), had also demanded an end to the unbridled fishing and boating activities in the lake.

When Wasa's Managing-Director Brig (retired) Pervez Mehmood Khan was contacted, he told Dawn that he would take up the issue with CDA and the environment ministry during the next meeting of the RLCMC scheduled to be held on April 8.

Mr Khan said he was striving to provide potable water to his consumers and was ready to take the required measures. He said he had upgraded the Wasa's laboratory located at the Rawal Lake Treatment Plant by providing skilled staff.