Tareen for installation of water filtration plants by 20th
By Ali Imran

ISLAMABAD—Jehangir Khan Tareen, federal minister for Industries, Production and Special initiatives has directed project director CDWI/CDWA and all the provincial governments and the governments of AJK, Northern Areas and FATA and the companies working under CDWI to make all the already installed water filtration plants to be functional and get installed all remaining plants under Clean Drinking Water initiative (CDWI) not later than December 20, 2006.
He said that all the bottlenecks at every level in the way of installation, completion and operation of filtration plants will be removed to make sure that people get clean drinking ware promised by the government.
He observed this while chairing a meeting on design and issues relating to water filtration plants installed under CDWI and yet to be installed under CDWA (Clean Drinking Water for All). Meeting was attended by Secretary Industries Shahab Khawaja, Secretary Science and Technology. Secretaries Local Governments of Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan, NWFP, AJK and FATA. Managing Directors WASA of the main cities, Project Director Brig Javed Sikandar and other senior officials of the MOIP&SI also attended the meeting.
Meeting started with presentations from some 8 companies who briefed the Minister about the cost, capacity and quality of their respective filtration plants. Jehangir Khan Tareen said company for installation of the filtration plants.
Minister discussed in detail with the representatives of provincial governments the issues relating to the proper functioning of filtration plants. It would be pertinent to mention here that in the last meeting held on the same subject, federal minister has directed provincial governments to come up with reports about the total number of plants installed and the number of plants functional in their respective provinces.
The provincial secretaries gave break up about the number of plants installed, those which are functional and the number of plants still to be installed.
The provincial government representative briefed the minister about the problems responsible for non-functioning and non-completion of plants. Lack of maintenance, electricity connection and non-availability of operators and technical faults were some of the major problems highlighted by the provinces.
The minister directed So-Safe and Rain Drop (the companies responsible for installation and running of the plants under CDWI) to remove all the faults from the all ready installed plants not later than December 20, 2006 in coordination with Project Director CDWI/CDWA.
It was also decided that operators will be provided training at the erstwhile divisional headquarters for smooth functioning of the plants. Decision was also reached that a tripartite maintenance contract signed to ensure uninterrupted functioning of the plants. Minister directed the PD and provincial governments to finalize the contract by December 4, 2006.