Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB) has decided to commence work on six schemes of water supply at the total cost of Rs 9.9 million, sources told Online on Wednesday.

They elaborated the decision was taken to tackle the water shortage that continued to bother the residents of cantonment.

The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has planned to build six small dams in the federal capital to cope with water scarcity that is feared to get worse with the increase in population and development of more residential sectors.

RAWALPINDI: The city braces for acute water shortage as water level in Khanpur reservoir is dropping due to persistent dry spell, forcing Rawalpindi and Chaklala cantonment boards to start planning for water rationing.

Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) has complained of escalating cost of cleaning water at Rawal Dam blaming the Capital Development Authority (CDA) for letting pollutants into the lake untreated.

A WASA official told Daily Times on Tuesday that examination of samples collected by WASA from the lake found a high quantity of coliform bacteria in the water, which was dangerous to health.

The federal government has planned to build a small dam at the cost of Rs 1.167 billion on Wadala Kas, a tributary of Soan River in Papin Village, District Rawalpindi.

Sources told Daily Times on Wednesday that the Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) and the provincial government would execute the project and the federal government would fund the project.

The monsoon season is behind the schedule and rains will be 10 percent below the normal this year due to global warming and development of weak El-Nino conditions, said Metrological Department.

Talking to Daily Times on Wednesday, Metrological Department Director General Dr Qamaruz Zaman Chaudhry said the monsoon was likely to start within next 24 to 48 hours.

The jolts of moderate intensity earthquake were felt on Sunday in various parts of the country including Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Sargodha, Abbotabad, Haripur, Mardan, Kotli, Mansehra and Swat. Tremors also jolted tribal areas including Khyber Agency and other adjoining areas.

The public transporters of Rawalpindi and Islamabad on Wednesday staged a protest demonstration on Nogaza Road to press the government for review of the decision of carbon tax on petroleum products.

The Punjab government is likely to enhance allocation for water supply and sanitation to Rs9.32 billion in the upcoming budget for 2009-10, official sources said.

The National Economic Council (NEC) on Thursday allocated Rs 50 million for the third phase of Khanpur Dam Water Supply Project (KDWSP) in the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) 2009-10.

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani chaired the NEC meeting.

The Defence Ministry had demanded Rs 200 million for the phase whose total cost is around Rs 700 million.