ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Interior has asked the civic agencies of Rawalpindi to clear their dues against electricity used at the Sangjani treatment plant for supplying water to consumers in their areas as the CDA refused to pay the bills anymore.

The dues amounting to millions of rupees are to be paid to the Capital Development Authority (CDA).

The ministry also advised both Water and Sanitation Authority (Wasa) and Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB) to get their separate electricity meters installed at the Sangjani treatment plant for paying bills regularly.

CDA, Rawalpindi Development Authority, Wasa and RCB get water from Khanpur Dam through the Sangjani treatment plant. As per the agreed formula, CDA receives 33pc of water while the remaining 64pc is divided between RDA/Wasa and RCB.

Water is directly supplied from Khanpur Dam to CDA’s Sangjani treatment plant from where it is supplied to the consumers in twin cities.

Both civic bodies also told to install separate meters at Sangjani treatment plant to ensure regular bill payment

CDA has been claiming that it receives barely 9mgd water from Khanpur Dam and the major shareholders - RCB and RDA - were not paying their shares of the Sangjani treatment plant’s electricity bills, putting an extra financial burden of millions of rupees on the CDA. It says heavy pumping motors are used for the supply of water from the treatment plant to the consumers.

Sources said the CDA recently took up the matter with the Ministry of Interior and the latter approached the Punjab government and the RCB through the Ministry of Defence.

The sources said that the joint secretary interior wrote separate letters to the chief secretary Punjab and the secretary defence.

“The CDA has informed that the Operation and Maintenance (O&M) charges of Foreign Relent Loan (PK-24) in respect of Water Treatment Plant (WTP) Sangjani Islamabad are being accumulated against RDA/WASA Rawalpindi. As per record a sum of Rs 1,538.614 million upto September 2024 is outstanding against O&M and dues amounting to Rs 748.943 million are outstanding on account of Foreign Relent Loan (PK-P-24) duly reconciled with EAD upto 30-06-2023 of the project,” read the interior ministry’s letter addressed to the chief secretary.

It added: “Presently, CDA is facing severe financial constraints and consequently it is not possible to continue bearing all the aforementioned expenditure unilaterally without any support and contribution from the beneficiary organization,”

According to the letter, “Since the major chunk of O&M expenditures continue monthly electricity charges, therefore, it has been decided henceforth, CDA will not only pay electricity bills as per its approved share of 33pc whereas, RDA/WASA-Rawalpindi (in coordination with RCB) will install separate energy meter for Rawalpindi pump installed at water treatment plant Sangjani any pay the electricity bills, accordingly.”

The interior ministry said the CDA had already conveyed this stance in a meeting held on Aug 30, 2023 under the chairmanship of the secretary defence.

Moreover, the letter said, the CDA chairman had convened a meeting on July 7, 2024 and all stakeholders including Wasa and RCB representatives participated in it. RCB and Wasa were told to install separate meters to which they agreed.

The letter said due to accumulation of the outstanding liabilities, the audit authorities had framed a number of paras and Departmental Audit Committee and Public Account Committee were pressing hard for early recovery.

“In view of the foregoing, it is requested that necessary directions may kindly be issued to RDA/WASA Rawalpindi for early clearance of all outstanding dues besides taking up the case with Iesco authorities for installation of separate energy meter for Rawalpindi pumps installed at Water Treatment Plant Sangjani,” read the letter.

When contacted, CDA spokesperson Shahid Kiani confirmed to Dawn that the civic agency had taken up the issue with Ministry of Interior.

“Everyone has to contribute against the electricity bill. We have decided not to pay anymore for RCB and WASA. Against the bills of November and December, we paid only 33pc of amount of our share now onward it is their [WASA and RCB] responsibility of paying their bills,” he said.

Published in Dawn, January 27th, 2025

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