KP To Install Water Meters At Cars Washing Stations To Curb Water's Waste

PESHAWAR (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 18th Nov, 2018 ) :Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Environment and Forests, Syed Muhammad Ishtiaq Sunday said that water meters would be installed at cars washing stations to curb massive misuse of potable water in the province.

In an exclusive interview with APP, he said Pakistan was confronted with a major challenge of water shortage and wastage of clean drinking water could not be allowed at car washing stations in the province.

He said Environment Protection Agency has started action against those car washing stations, which were operating illegally or involved in wastage of water. Moreover, the agency wasissuing notices to concerned owners with direction to install water meters at earliest.

The minister said the provincial government was committed to regulate this business by installing water meters at these stations at all cost and heavy fine would be imposed against violators.

Millions of gallon of clean drinking water had been wasted at thousands of car wash stations due to lack of proper mechanism owing to lackluster approach of the past regimes in the country.

The PTI government had taken a lead role by directing the owners of these stations to install water meters and upon failure heavy fines would be imposed besides sealing of the stations, he said.

The massive misuse of water at most of these stations was not only causing dropping of ground water table but also leading to water pollution by draining chemically contaminated water in the sewerage lines.

The draining of chemically contaminated water after washing of vehicles was also making negative effects on life of water species.

Car wash business was being considered most lucrative as it involves comparatively smaller capital for setting up a station. In Peshawar, Rs 200 was being charged for washing car's body only while detailed service takes 400 rupees.

During car wash, massive potable water was being wasted on most of these stations where water was being drilled via electric pumps, causing substantial economic loss to the national kitty in the water starved country.

In populated areas, water connections for these stations were mostly offered from the main water supply line and domestic consumers were adversely suffer due to colossal use of potable water for cleaning of vehicles.

As per international standards, about 40 per cent of the river flows were required to be stored whereas Pakistan had only 13.29 million acre feet (MAF) storage against required standard of 58 MAF, which should be a matter of great concern for policy makers and planners.

The high population growth, misuse of water, climate change, poor water management, lack of political will and urbanization were the main reasons behind the water and energy crisis in the country.

The government could collect a lot of money by bringing this profitable business under tax-net.

The minister said ban on use of non-degradable plastic bags, which are a major cause of environmental and water pollution, has been imposed and strict action would be taken against violators.

To curb environmental pollution, desertification and climate change, he said KP government would plant additional one billion saplings under Plant for Pakistan project of the Federal government under which 10 billion saplings would be planted in next five years.

He said the campaign under plant for Pakistan would be launched in February next year and Billions Trees Afforstration Project under which one billion and 180 million plants were planted in last four years would be extended to tribal districts.

Hospitals were directed to ensure disposal of waste imperative for clean environment," the minister said, adding heavy fine would be imposed on all those stone crushing machines operating in populated areas besides owners of cement and marble factors that failed to install filtration plants to control smoke emission.

The minister urged people to use cloths made bags instead of plastic bags and help the government in making the environment clean and green.

He said Environmental Tribunal was setup in Peshawar by the KP Government to dispose of cases on environmental issues.