GUJRAT, Sept 9: The cost of Punjab government’s clean drinking water project for Gujrat city has surged to Rs1 billion from Rs680 million because of a snail’s pace of work and the paucity of funds.

Only two of the total 17 water tanks have been completed so far while work on a major portion of the underground water supply lines is yet to be started.

According to a feasibility report, the new water supply lines as well as the replacement of old pipelines with the new ones, the construction of 17 water tanks for the water storage and installation of 17 new tubewells to be connected with water tanks had been planned for 15 union councils.

The project had been started about four-and-a-half-years ago and the construction of four water tanks had initially been taken in hand in Anayat Park, Government Zamindar College on Bhimbher Road, Government Science College on GT Road and Ghazi Khokhar locality.However, only two water tanks in Zamindar College and Anayat Park have been completed and the water tank of only Zamindar College could be made functional so far.

Some 15 out of total 17 water tanks will have the maximum water storage capacity of 100,000 gallons while the rest of two others 50,000 gallons.

Since the construction of the remaining 13 water tanks is still to be started, sources in the Public Health and Engineering Department say the paucity of funds is the main hurdle in the completion of the project which may take at least four more years with a possible revision of the cost.

Officials of the execution agency say that out of the planned 17 new tubewells only seven have been made functional and the rest of machines are yet to be installed.

They say the department has suggested allocating more funds to meet the rising public demand.

The operation and maintenance of water tanks and tubewells is the responsibility of the Tehsil Municipal Administration as the PH&ED is bound to hand over the project to the TMA after its completion.

Residents of localities where these water tanks have either been constructed or being constructed suggest a safety mechanism to keep these water tanks free-of-contaminations.

This correspondent visited Anayat Park and found a good number of boys flying kites at the rooftop of the water tank.

PH&ED Executive Engineer Iftikhar Ahmed told Dawn that the project had so far consumed Rs260 million while no further amount had been received for the last six months.

He said the provincial government had allocated Rs50 million for the project in the current fiscal year, but not a single penny had been released.

The EXEN said Anayat Park’s water tank and three to four more tubewells would be made functional as soon as funds were released.

He said TMA operators/watchmen deputed at tubewells were responsible for the safety of water tanks.

However, he said he would erect barbed wires around the water tanks so that the children could not fly kites on their rooftops.