ISLAMABAD, Dec 29: The non-functioning water filtration plant at Faisal Colony in G-7/1 has provided an opportunity to a motorbike mechanic to open a workshop in front of the building. Besides, the room in which the plant was installed is being used for bodybuilding.

It may be noted that the filtration plant has been out of order for the last three years.

According to plaque installed on the wall, the filtration plant was constructed under the managing urban wastage project at a cost of Rs1.67 million in November 2008. The Australian high commission contributed Rs1 million, Qadam Development Organisation Rs352,000 while Rs318,297 came from the Aim Association.

Shahzad Masih, a resident of the locality, told Dawn that at the time of its inauguration, copper taps were fixed in the filtration plant. However, after an hour, they were replaced with plastic taps.

“Just after six months, the filtration plant stopped functioning because there was no one who could look after its maintenance weekly or fortnightly,” he said.

Some people broke the water pipeline and started the business of washing vehicles from the water. But by the end of 2009, officials from a government department blocked the pipeline as the water was being misused, he said.

Fayaz Masih, who has opened the motorbike workshop there, said: “The filtration plant was serving no purpose, so I decided to open my workshop under the roof of the building to save myself from the sun and rain.”

The room in which the machine was installed is being used as a bodybuilding gym. “At least this is providing the people with a healthy activity and employment,” the mechanic said.

Fahad Hussain, who had come there for the repair of his motorbike, said he lived in a nearby area and the workshop was the nearest to him.

Shahid Masih said due to the closure of the filtration plant around 700 houses remained deprived of clean drinking water.

“Water is supplied for one hour in the morning and for one hour in the evening. In summer, sometimes we don’t get supply even for two or three days,” he said.

Naseer Masih, another resident, said those who had constructed the building and installed the machine were never seen again.

Ramzan Sajid, the CDA spokesman, said they had almost finalised the overhauling of 35 water filtration plants installed by the authority.

“Last week, Chairman CDA Tahir Shahbaz instructed installation of some new filtration plants in the city. So we might consider repairing the out-of-order water filtration plants installed by other organisations.”