Quetta: Standing Committee of Senate on Planning and Development was told that indifference of Balochistan Government is responsible for delaying projects for water supply in Gwadar, reported Dawn.
The Standing Committee of Senate on Planning and Development convened its meeting on Friday with Senator Tahir Mashadi in the chair.
The committee was informed that current demand for water in Gwadar is 6.5 million gallons per day (MGD) whereas only 2 MGD is available. It’s estimated that demand for water in Gwadar would rise to 13MGD by 2022.
“Files of four proposals to supply water to Gwadar are lying on the table of Chief Secretary Balochistan for four months and still no action has been taken,” Shoaib Siddiqui Federal Secretary Planning told the committee.
Files of four proposals to supply water to Gwadar are lying on table of Chief Secretary Balochistan for four months and still, no action has been taken – Federal Secretary Planning
Federal Secretary Planning said that there are four different proposals to build desalination plants in Gwadar which can be built by the port operator, a commercial company, a Joint venture between a foreign company and Frontier Works Organization or by Federal Government through its development programme.
“We can’t start working on any proposal until the provincial government makes a decision,” lamented Mr. Siddiqui. He even requested the committee to summon Chief Secretary Balochistan in the next meeting to expedite the work on desalination plants in Gwadar.
Current demand for water in Gwadar is 6.5 million gallons per day (MGD) whereas only 2 MGD is available
Gwadar Master Plan is planned to be finalized by August 2018 but different government departments are already issuing No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for new constructions, the committee was told.
Mr. Siddiqui also asked the committee to prevent Government of Balochistan from issuing NOCs for constructions before the master plan of Gwadar is approved.
Water shortage in Gwadar has been a burning issue for last few years. People of Gwadar have protested agains the shortage of Water and failure of government on regular basis.
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