The Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) Rawalpindi has formally requested the Capital Development Authority (CDA) to reinstate the No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for 15 tube wells after the civic authority withdrew its earlier approvals. WASA has described the cancellation as unjustified and contrary to established legal and administrative procedures.
Dispute Escalated to Higher Authorities
According to official sources, the matter has also been taken up with the Punjab Minister for Housing, Bilal Yasin, and the Commissioner of Rawalpindi, Engineer Aamir Khattak, in an effort to resolve the dispute and prevent delays to an important public water supply project. In a letter addressed to the Director General of the CDA, WASA stated that it had lawfully obtained the NOCs after paying the prescribed fee of Rs5.9 million.
Project Details and Progress
The tube wells form part of a water supply scheme valued at approximately Rs1.4 billion, designed to improve the availability of drinking water in Rawalpindi and adjoining areas. WASA informed the CDA that drilling work on nine of the 15 tube wells has already been completed, while the process of obtaining electricity connections for these installations is currently underway. Drilling at the remaining six locations has yet to begin.
Legal and Financial Implications
The agency maintained that the locations of the proposed tube wells, stretching from Faizabad to Koral Chowk, had been identified and formally cleared by the CDA before work commenced. WASA argued that substantial public funds have already been invested in the project and that the withdrawal of the NOCs at this advanced stage lacks legal and administrative justification. WASA has therefore requested the CDA to immediately restore the previously issued approvals and withdraw the notification cancelling the NOCs.
Political Intervention Sought
The issue has also attracted political attention. Punjab Housing Minister Bilal Yasin has announced that he will raise the matter with the federal government and the CDA to facilitate an early resolution. According to WASA, the cancellation of NOCs is not only unjustified but also hampers the timely completion of a critical infrastructure project aimed at addressing water scarcity in the region.
