ISLAMABAD: The water shortage issue in Islamabad echoed in National Assembly on Friday, when ruling party`s legislator told the House that the scarcity of the precious commodity could be gauged from the fact that recently a dead body was given bath with mineral water.

Speaking on the floor of the House, PTI`s MNA from Islamabad Ali NawazAwan,whoisSpecialAssistant to Prime Minister on Capital Development Authority (CDA) Affairs on Friday told the National Assembly that residents of Islamabad have been facing shortage of water but Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad (MCI) headed by PML-N Mayor is not taking any interest in resolving the issue.

He said the capital city had been receiving 56 million gallon per day (mgd) against the total demand of 120mgd, which had now been reduced to 40mgd after suspension of supply from Khanpur Dam af ter dredging in its left bank canal which takes water to Sanjani filtration plant.

He said no new water reservoir had been constructed during the last two decade for Islamabad, which was fast growing city with over two million populations.

He said a few days ago a dead body was given bath with mineral water in G-10.He said Khanpur Dam supplied 16mgd water to Islamabad, which can be increased to 34mgd.

He said if 34mdg was supplied f rom the dam, water crisis in Islamabad will be resolved.

He said that the Islamabad mayor had no interest in the city`s af f airs, as he spends 10-day of a month in UK and five days in Saudi Arabia for Umrah. He said that residents of G-6, G-7, G-8, G-9, I-10, etc., were facing acute shortage of water.

Mr Awan said the government was focusing on starting Ghazi BrothaProject worth Rs150 billion to provide water to residents of Islamabad.

He said a team was due to visit Khanpur Dam on Monday to explore option how can water supply to Islamabad be increased to 34mgd.

He said the mayor had two billion in MCI`s account, but he was taking no step to fix leaking water pipelines, besides checking water pilferage.

During the last two decades and so no concrete step had been taken to resolve the issue of water scarcity as projects like Ghazi Brotha and Charah Dam exist only in files.