ISLAMABAD, Sept 23: Although 40 per cent water of the city gets wasted because of underground leakage from pipelines but leakage of water from pipeline near Zero Point Interchange (ZPI) has become routine.

Capital Development Authority (CDA) has not taken any notice of the issue due to which citizens have been facing severe water problem.

On the other hand, CDA claims that miscreants have been breaking water pipelines and it has been decided to put concrete on pipelines to resolve the issue permanently, Dawn has learnt.

Mohammad Naeem, a citizen who almost daily passes by Kashmir Avenue, while talking to Dawn said that during the last two months, three times the water pipeline passing from ZPI — G-8 side — broke.

“While passing on Saturday, I saw water leaking like a ‘fountain’. Last time when the pipeline started leaking, dozens of citizens reached there and were looking at it, as if it was a place of entertainment,” he said.

“Thousands of gallons of water was wasted and a big pond formed at the leakage spot. People, who were having fun at the scene, did not bother to do anything to stop the leakage. Being a public property they should have understood that it was their responsibility to inform the relevant department,” he said.

An officer of CDA requesting not to be identified said that it was prime responsibility of the public to inform but nobody bothers. Gutters in streets get choked in different areas but citizens hardly inform the complaint office.

“However if gutter chokes within the house, citizens call many times in a day. On the other hand, officials of CDA even after receiving complaints from people many times, do not bother to address the issue,” he said. Spokesman of CDA, Masoodur Rehman while talking to Dawn said that a pipe was laid many years ago but CDA never got any complaint because there was a jungle in that area but now after construction of ZPI, pipeline is visible due to which miscreants break the pipeline for fun. Last time a woman informed CDA that the pipe was leaking.

“Pipeline cannot be laid more than three feet underground. So it has been decided that concrete will be put on the pipeline to avoid damage in the future,” he said.—A Reporter