ISLAMABAD, Aug 5: Due to shortage of water, residents of the federal capital — living in different parts of the city — often quarrel with each other and in some cases even file complaints at police stations, Dawn has learnt.  

According to sources, during the last three weeks, three incidents — related to water — took place in which residents became violent and some people even got injured.

First incident took place at a water tanker supply centre sector I-9/2. Residents of the area tortured a tanker driver alleging that drivers supply water to their ‘close-ones’ rather than supplying water according to complaint numbers.

In a second incident residents of sector I-10 arranged a protest against shortage of water and then they went to the water supply centre (tube well) and occupied the machine room.

Residents do not get proper water supply, so they try to save the water as much as possible but in those houses in which different families live at ground and first floor, the situation varies.

Salman Ahmed, a resident said: “Whenever water supply starts, both families (residing in one house) try to finish all their water related chores e.g. washing clothes, dishes, cleaning the house and other works.”

“As both or some times three families in the house try to finish their work so they consume all water within a few hours and after that some times the supply does not come for two or three days due to which families start blaming each other and some times they even fight,” he said.

According to police sources, on July 28, a similar kind of incident took place in street 11, sector I-10/2, when two families fought with each other and later that issue became so intense that both families filed an application against each other, in the police station.

Resident of a house in Islamabad, Shahid Mehmood, who is a government officer in grade 19, was living on the ground floor. His family started using water as soon as the supply started.  Muhammad Zahid, who lives on the first floor came down and stopped them from using water and instructed to turn off all the taps due to which the brother of Mehmood had an argument.

When Mehmood came from the office, once again both families quarrelled. Later, Mehmood filed an application with Sabzi Mandi Police Station and claimed that Zahid threatened him.

On the other hand, Zahid also filed an application against Mehmood due to which tension has increased between both the families.

Investigation officer of Sabzi Mandi Police Station, Gul Khan while talking to Dawn said that it has become routine that people quarrel over small issues and then they come to the police station.

“It seems that every citizen is disturbed because of some problem but those small disputes are increasing the work burden of police. I have called both parties to come to the police station and will try to have a patch up,” he said.

Capital Development Authority’s (CDA) Director General Water Management Sanaullah Aman said that because of rain, water flow in dams and underground water-level will increase. Supply of water has already improved a bit and it will further improve after another spell of rain, he said.