By B Izzak

KUWAIT: MP Osama Al-Munawer yesterday sent a series of questions to Electricity and Water Minister Mishan Al-Otaibi over the ministry's plans to deal with water security in times of crises and the quantity of water reserves. Kuwait gets the overwhelming majority of its water needs from desalination of seawater through giant plants. It mixes desalinated water with brackish water it obtains from underground sources.

In his questions, the lawmaker asked the minister if the ministry has prepared plans to deal with any emergency, and if these plans have been coordinated with concerned military and security agencies. He asked the minister about Kuwait's daily water production and consumption, the size of the strategic water reserve and how long it will last in case of emergency. He also inquired about the number of water storage tanks in the country and if the ministry plans to build more.

Munawer asked the minister about plans to deal with any disruption in the production of desalinated water as a result of an act of sabotage or as a result of a technical problem that is very difficult to repair. He also asked about disruptions resulting from sea pollution, radiation or due to a spike in the salinity of seawater.

The lawmaker asked the minister that in case of sea pollution, what is the ministry's plan to provide drinking water before the strategic reserve is consumed. Munawer asked if international companies have submitted offers to develop water resources in the country and if the ministry has set up companies for the purpose of developing such resources.

Meanwhile, prominent opposition MP Mohammad Al-Mutair said yesterday that a proposed pardon of ex-opposition MPs, activists and political prisoners should be issued before the end of a national dialogue called by HH the Amir. Mutair said in a statement that the prime minister should also withdraw his demand to protect him against grillings by MPs.

The lawmaker said that if these two demands are not met, opposition MPs who will take part in the dialogue should not act as representatives of the bloc of 31 opposition MPs. HH the Amir last week called for the national dialogue to resolve political crises that have rocked the country since the Dec 5 election, which have prevented the National Assembly from holding regular sessions.