Up to 10 hydrants to be demolished every day, announces Sindh minister. PHOTO: FILE
HYDERABAD: Sindh Information and Local Governments Minister Sharjeel Memon warned the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) to take immediate action against illegal hydrants in the city.
“I have told them to close down the remaining 70 illegal hydrants within a week,” he reiterated at a press conference on Sunday.
According to Memon, as many as 80 illegal hydrants against the officially permitted 18 hydrants for Karachi were operating in the city. He said that official action against the hydrants was delayed due to Muharram and other subsequent events, which necessitated heavy deployment of the police.
“Now five to 10 hydrants will be demolished every day and the people operating them will be nabbed. After the given time, if any hydrant is operational, the SHO and KWSB official of the area will be held responsible.”
He said the water shortage, which will arise due to the sudden closure of hydrants, will be addressed through increased supply from the water board.
“The water mafia is raking tens of millions of rupees daily by stealing KWSB’s water and reselling it to the citizens at a much higher rate.”
About the lack of cleanliness and water supply in Hyderabad, the provincial minister said the government was shifting the waste disposal responsibility to private contractors. “We are starting from Latifabad taluka. An amount of Rs45 million would be spent monthly on fuel for the contract without any additional expenses.”
Published in The Express Tribune, November 25th, 2013.
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