islamabad - The Metropolitan Corporation of Islamabad (MCI) has decided to additionally pump 9mg water per day to redress the water shortage problem particularly for the residents of highly-affected sectors of the capital for seven days.

Addressing a press conference, Chief Metropolitan Officer MCI, Muhammad Suleiman Warraich said that the authority was supplying only 50mg/d against the required 125mg/d for domestic and industrial needs of sectoral population of the capital due to multiple reasons.

“To provide instant relief to the residents of the capital, particularly G-11, G-9/2, G-10, I-10 and Margalla Town, the authority has decided to pump additional 9mg/d water from Simly Dam for seven days”, Warraich said.

He said one-week contingency plan has been triggered for the highly-affected areas of the capital.

The CMO said the additional supply would reach by December 8 (today) evening. He said two of the three motors at Khanpur Dam were out of order since long and added the authority was in process to get them repaired.

He told the reporters that 72 out of 120 tube wells were also out of order. Similarly, he said 17 out of 33 water tankers are also non-functional.

Warraich said 13 water tankers have been deputed to attend complaints of water shortage in these sectors. Six have been deputed for I-10, 2 for Margalla Town, 1 for I-8 and 2 for I-9, 1 for G series and 1 for VIPs. A complaint cell has also been established and the complaints can be registered at 0333-1518819, 0333-1518820, 051-9253016 and 051-9252962.

Earlier in the day, a meeting was held at the authority offices to deal with the water crisis.

Furthermore, the authority has so far sealed 376 premises while 725 others have been voluntarily brought to conforming use since end of September 2016, said a report compiled by the Building Control Section of the authority.

It said the total number of non-conforming properties has now reduced to 591 out of original 1695. These include mostly schools, guest houses, clinics and offices of professionals; mainly lawyers and media houses. Of these non-conforming premises, 359 are schools, 96 guest houses, 60 hostels, 9 lawyers’ offices, 12 media offices, 32 professional offices and 23 clinics.

Apart from that Metropolitan Corporation of Islamabad (MCI) has taken up the case of diplomatic mission/embassies with ministry of foreign affairs to shift them from residential areas, the report said.

It further said that Metropolitan Corporation of Islamabad (MCI) has taken concentrated action against guest houses and hostels. Ten guest houses and 27 hostels are part of the 50 properties that have been sealed so far.

To date, MCI has also recovered an amount of Rs 269.7 million on account of fine imposed on non-conforming users. In addition, 15 allotments of non-conformers have been cancelled, said the report.