RAWALPINDI, March 17: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has asked Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) officials to introduce structural reforms to the agency and upgrade its consumers database and revenue recovery if it wanted more financial assistance for starting new projects, Dawn has learnt.
This was said in a meeting attended by members of the ADB's fact-finding mission, consultants and Wasa officials on Wednesday. Sources said the bank made these recommendations after receiving a fresh demand of financial aid from Wasa, Tehsil Municipal Administration (TMA) and Punjab government for the implementation of the Rawalpindi Environmental Improvement Project (REIP).
The bank had provided 91 per cent of the amount for the recently completed over Rs4 billion Urban Water Supply and Sanitation Project (UWSSP) in the shape of soft-term loan.
When contacted ADB's urban development specialist, social sector, South Asia Department, Shakeel A. Khan told Dawn that the bank had asked Wasa to upgrade its consumer database and improve its revenue recovery.
It had also demanded a decrease in charges for new water connections in a bid to encourage illegal connection holders to regularize their connections at reasonably low rates.
At present almost half of the Wasa's domestic and commercial consumers are not paying water bills to the agency owing to which it was facing severe financial problems, he said.
In this connection, the agency was also recommended to conduct a fresh survey of its consumers throughout the city. Besides, Wasa should also establish a new complaint cell which would redress the issues related to water supply, drainage and waste disposal faced by consumers.
Mr Khan said Wasa was told to recruit new staff and arrange training facilities for its existing employees to improve its efficiency. "We have asked Wasa to formulate an action plan for recruiting the required staff urgently," he said.
Mr Khan said they had asked the Wasa officials to design the upcoming REIP according to the spirit of the Local Government Ordinance and meet the targets of sustainable development at the grass-roots level.
Meanwhile, the Wasa officials, including its managing and deputy directors, along with the ADB mission called on the Capital Development Authority chairman, Kamran Lashari.
They conveyed to him their grievances regarding the channelling of CDA's waste into Nullah Leh and the dangerous level of pollution in the catchment area of Rawal Lake, Mr Khan said.
He said Mr Lashari told them that the CDA had started consultation with a French company regarding the establishment of a waste water treatment plant near I-8 and I-9 sectors.
The plant, work on which is likely to start in July, will put an end to the dumping of waste into Nullah Leh, he said. During the meeting, a committee was formed to check pollution in Rawal Lake and its catchments. It will comprise officials of Rawalpindi Development Authority, Wasa, CDA and the environment ministry. The committee will hold meetings on monthly basis during which it will review pollution situation in Rawal Lake.