ISLAMABAD:
The Senate Subcommittee on Climate Change and Environmental Coordination on Monday highlighted the critical need for stronger interventions to protect Rawal Dam, ensuring its sustainability as a vital water source for future generations.
The session chaired by Senator Shahzaib Durrani called for daily cleaning of the dam and the establishment of solid waste management systems to generate income and potentially produce electricity.
The committee also decided to conduct a site visit to Rawal Dam next week to assess the situation firsthand. “If Lake Michigan can be cleaned, there is no reason why Rawal Dam cannot be restored to its original state,” remarked Senator Durrani.
In addition, the committee urged the CDA to report on its waste management efforts around Rawal Dam and demanded a health department briefing on waterborne diseases linked to the reservoir. A formal letter will be sent to the CDA Chairman to expedite measures for maintaining the dam’s cleanliness.
One major point of discussion was the ongoing construction of the Rawalpindi Circuit House by the Punjab Irrigation Department within the Rawal Dam Irrigation Colony Zone 3.
This construction, reportedly carried out without necessary environmental clearances, sparked strong criticism from the committee.
Senator Durrani called for an immediate halt to the construction of the Chief Engineer House if it is found to be in violation of environmental laws and regulations.
The committee also expressed grave concern over rising pollution levels in Rawal Dam, a critical water source for Rawalpindi.
WASA Managing Director highlighted that untreated sewage from Bani Gala is being discharged directly into the dam, exacerbating contamination risks. Despite WASA supplying 55 million gallons of water daily to Rawalpindi, unchecked construction and pollution pose a severe threat to future water availability.
PEPA DG underscored the absence of data on the types of waste entering the dam and revealed poor maintenance of sewage systems around the reservoir. “There is no data portal for Rawal Dam’s environmental status, and waste continues to flow unchecked,” the official stated.
The committee noted that 64% of the dam’s pollution originates from Islamabad, while the remaining 36% comes from Punjab. It sought water sampling reports from the Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (PCSIR) to identify pollutants before and after treatment.
Additionally, the subcommittee requested data on waterborne diseases in the region for its next meeting.
Senator Durrani stressed the urgency of the matter, questioning continued construction near the national park’s two-kilometer radius.
The representatives from Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (PEPA), Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA), and the CDA were in attendance.
