The Supreme Court has issued a notice to the Advocate General of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the Khanpur Dam contaminated water case. The case was heard by the constitutional bench of the Supreme Court, which took suo motu notice of the issue of polluted water supply to citizens.
During the hearing, WAPDA’s counsel, Ahsan Raza, informed the court that Khanpur Dam is the only source of drinking water for around five million people. He said the district administration is acting as a facilitator and revealed that where only twenty boats operated earlier, now over three hundred boats are plying on the dam.
Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail remarked that the PHA Department should set proper rules on the matter, while Justice Shakeel Ahmed noted that the dam authorities have the right to ban motorboats if needed.
The lawyer stated that several people were earning money through boating and had even built six resorts along the dam. Justice Aamir Farooq questioned how these boats could operate without official permission, while Justice Mandokhail asked what steps had been taken to stop boating. The counsel replied that they had already filed a complaint before the magistrate but the situation had worsened after Khanpur was declared a tehsil.
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Justice Aminuddin Khan observed that if boats are causing pollution, an alternative should be suggested. The lawyer responded that electric boats are available, which can help prevent contamination.
The court then issued a notice to the Advocate General of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and adjourned the Khanpur Dam contaminated water case for an indefinite period.
