ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court was informed by Additional Advocate General for Punjab Chaudhry Faisal Hussain on Monday that the provincial government had deposited Rs455 million in the water conservation account on behalf of different companies as cess for utilising underground water resources.

An SC bench headed by Justice Umar Ata Bandial was informed that Balochistan had also deposited Rs2.7m in the water conservation account.

But Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governments have yet to furnish any amount in the account.

The apex court had taken up a suo motu case regarding selling of bottled water extracted from underground sources without any charge and the quality and fitness for human consumption as well as a number of review petitions against the order of imposing water cess.

Sindh, KP governments have yet to furnish any amount on behalf of companies using underground water

In its June 10 verdict, the court had ordered beverage and bottled companies to pay at least 20 per cent of the bills they have received for utilising the water resources in line with earlier imposition of Rs1 per litre cess for the extracted surface water.

‘‘This is the degree of interest of Sindh,’’ Justice Bandial regretted. He asked Advocate General for Sindh Salman Talibuddin to use his influence in mobilising the departments concerned and observed that Sindh had a huge market but only pittance was coming than other provinces.

The Sindh AG, however, sought two weeks time so that he could come up with updated information after holding a meeting with the departments concerned.

The court asked the provinces to circulate the draft law developed by the federal government and convene meetings of relevant departments for a proper legislation regarding conservation of water resources and imposition of the cess on water usage.

Wasa-Punjab Managing Director Syed Zahid Aziz furnished a report before the apex court, highlighting how executive orders had been issued to implement installations of push-button faucets in all public and commercial premises for conservation of water.

The report explained that since the push-button faucets were not manufactured locally, installations of aerators/mist nozzles could be considered a good option as an alternative which might save 30 per cent of the water being used in public and commercial buildings.

But in compliance with the directives earlier issued by the apex court, the Wasa Lahore had engaged major manufacturers of sanitary fittings to initiate manufacturing of push-button faucets and aerators/mist nozzles. For five-star hotels, sensor control faucets had to be adopted as an alternative measure, the report said.

Justice Ijaz-ul-Ahsan, a member of the bench, however, asked the Punjab government to go for indigenous but innovative and workable solutions by involving engineering universities for eventual incremental benefit of the country in the long run.

About the recycling of water, the report explained that the water used for ablution in mosques and shrines was a potential area where by deploying simple and cost-effective methods, water can be reused.

Consequently, Wasa has identified 68 mosques in Lahore which were adjacent to parks. A model has been prepared and installed at Nimra mosque in Johar Town in which the water used for ablution is collected in an underground tank. And by deploying water pump and sprinklers, the same is used to irrigate parks adjacent to the mosque. Thus 2,500 gallons per day of ground water were being saved, the report highlighted.

Similarly, the Parks and Horticulture Authority, Lahore, is currently replicating this model to 58 mosques adjacent to the parks, whereas work on 50 mosques has been completed and is in operation. The Lahore Cantonment Board, Walton Cantonment Board and Defence Housing Authority have also identified the mosques adjacent to the parks in their jurisdictions and are replicating the model.

Moreover, the private and cooperative housing societies will also follow the Wasa model for reuse of ablution water in the parks or green belts adjacent to the mosques.

A scheme for reuse of ablution water from Data Darbar mosque has also been approved and funds have been allocated in the Annual Development Programme, 2019-20.

Since the wasteful use of drinkable water put a stress on the groundwater resources of the city, Wasa Lahore has disconnected water connections installed at car wash stations, the report said, adding that now the owners of car wash stations were required to install shallow well/ejector pumps at the upper aquifer which was not drinkable.

Published in Dawn, August 27th, 2019