Honorable Justice Lahore High Court Shahid Karim, formed a judicial commission under the supervision of Retd Justic Ali Akbar Qureshi this year to take necessary measures for the conservation of water.
The main objectives of this commission were to manage water reservoirs, conservation of water, make revenue out of non-revenue water, treatment of water and stop water theft.
A session of water commission is organised every week to check and evaluate the reports received from various related departments. The judicial commission in collaboration with 14 other institutes has taken important steps for the conservation of water.
These institutes are: WASA, AQAF, Cooperative Housing, Lahore Cantonment Board, Dolphin Force, LDA, Industries, District Management, Lahore Walton Cantonment Board, LWMC, Irrigation, Environment, PHA and DHA.
Since, car service stations were using unrestricted water supply for a long time, the court directed WASA to begin inspection of the service stations and disconnect water supply to those without a water recycling system.
In second phase these service stations were issued notices and given two months for installations of the recycling plants to save water. Those service stations who failed to install recycling plants were sealed whereas those who ensured to install within two weeks were considered under observation. Almost 50% service stations have installed recycling plants and the rest are in process. The Cantonment Board and DHA are also taking measures on the same lines. This step has helped save 260,000 gallon of water per day.
For irrigation of parks, 17 irrigation channels have been restored. It includes, Aitcheson College, FC College, Jinnah Garden, Governor House, Mayo Garden, New Campus, Model Town Park and other irrigation channels. It has helped has save 113,000,000 gallon of water per day.
On the directives of judicial water commission, WASA installed an underground tank in a park adjacent to Nimra Mosque in Johar town for the irrigation of plants. It has helped save 1,500 gallons of water per day for irrigation purposes. Parks and Horticulture Department has followed the same model and constructed underground tanks along 52 mosques. It has further helped, save 60,000 gallons of water per day for plants.
On the directives of the judicial water commission, Dolphin Force is monitoring water users outside houses. These teams take pictures and impose fine of Rs 1,000 on the domestic consumers. A fine of Rs 5,000 has been imposed in DHA.
WASA Lahore has prepared a model on the basis of public private partnership. It could help save 10,000,000 gallons of water per day.
The Lahore High Court’s Justice Shahid Karim has instructed Lahore deputy commissioner to implement all these measures in other cities of Punjab.
The WASA Lahore is working on a project to make BRB Canal’s water drinkable. The completion of this project will reduce dependency on underground water aquifer.
