Rare commodity: Close all hydrants, Supreme Court tells water board
Apex court questions source of DHA's water tankers
Apex court questions source of DHA's water tankers. PHOTO: EXPRESS
KARACHI:
The Supreme Court (SC) ordered on Thursday the relevant authorities to ensure all water hydrants legally operated by the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board are immediately shut down and their tenders be issued afresh within five weeks.
Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali, who headed the two-judge bench, also directed the provincial law officer to propose the court names of experts who can help the KWSB ensure supply of the essential commodity to every part of the city without any discrimination.
The apex court also gave five weeks to the KWSB to issue fresh tenders in respect of the hydrants lawfully set up and run by it.
The bench, which also comprised Justice Amir Hani Muslim, passed these directives while hearing human rights applications against the operation of illegal hydrants in the city at the SC's Karachi registry.
The complainants said some people had taken illegal connections by damaging the KWSB's lines in different areas of the city. They had also alleged that officials responsible to curb this illegal practice are themselves involved as they create an artificial shortage to benefit the 'mafia' operating the hydrants.
At the outset of Thursday's proceedings, KWSB managing director Misbahuddin Farid informed that efforts are under way to resolve the shortage of water in the city.
He further informed that a mechanism is being devised under which one water hydrant each will be operational in all six districts of the city, the Defence Housing Authority (DHA) and the National Logistics Cell.
The chief justice expressed concern over the city's state of affairs and observed that apparently the authorities responsible for resolving important problems such as environmental pollution, solid waste management and water crisis are completely ignoring these issues.
"People from all walks of classes live in the Karachi, but none of them owns it," remarked the chief justice, adding that "none of the departments owns it."
The top judge further remarked that the KWSB is not supplying water while the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) is not picking up the trash.
He noted that both the KMC and the water board also have a large number of ghost employees who are unconcerned with the citizen's problems and just draw their salaries without turning up for duty.
The Supreme Court could not overlook the mega city of Karachi, said the chief justice while addressing Farid, the Sindh advocate-general Zamir Ghumro and other officials.
Justice Hani remarked that the relevant authorities should outsource the water utility if they could not run its affairs efficiently.
The judges noted with concern that even in those localities where the commodity is supplied, the residents are getting brackish water.
They went on to remark that the cantonment boards and the DHA had become white elephants, adding that around 90% residents in the DHA were forced to buy water through tankers. The chief justice asked the officers as to where these tankers are getting water if there is an acute shortage of the commodity. The officers failed to offer a plausible reply.
Therefore, the bench ordered the KWSB chief to ensure that all legally operated water hydrants are closed down immediately and their fresh tenders issued in five weeks to overcome the city's water crisis. It further directed Ghumro to propose the names of experts to suggest ways to overcome the shortage and ensure adequate water supply across the city.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 9th, 2016.
The Supreme Court (SC) ordered on Thursday the relevant authorities to ensure all water hydrants legally operated by the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board are immediately shut down and their tenders be issued afresh within five weeks.
Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali, who headed the two-judge bench, also directed the provincial law officer to propose the court names of experts who can help the KWSB ensure supply of the essential commodity to every part of the city without any discrimination.
The apex court also gave five weeks to the KWSB to issue fresh tenders in respect of the hydrants lawfully set up and run by it.
The bench, which also comprised Justice Amir Hani Muslim, passed these directives while hearing human rights applications against the operation of illegal hydrants in the city at the SC's Karachi registry.
The complainants said some people had taken illegal connections by damaging the KWSB's lines in different areas of the city. They had also alleged that officials responsible to curb this illegal practice are themselves involved as they create an artificial shortage to benefit the 'mafia' operating the hydrants.
At the outset of Thursday's proceedings, KWSB managing director Misbahuddin Farid informed that efforts are under way to resolve the shortage of water in the city.
He further informed that a mechanism is being devised under which one water hydrant each will be operational in all six districts of the city, the Defence Housing Authority (DHA) and the National Logistics Cell.
The chief justice expressed concern over the city's state of affairs and observed that apparently the authorities responsible for resolving important problems such as environmental pollution, solid waste management and water crisis are completely ignoring these issues.
"People from all walks of classes live in the Karachi, but none of them owns it," remarked the chief justice, adding that "none of the departments owns it."
The top judge further remarked that the KWSB is not supplying water while the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) is not picking up the trash.
He noted that both the KMC and the water board also have a large number of ghost employees who are unconcerned with the citizen's problems and just draw their salaries without turning up for duty.
The Supreme Court could not overlook the mega city of Karachi, said the chief justice while addressing Farid, the Sindh advocate-general Zamir Ghumro and other officials.
Justice Hani remarked that the relevant authorities should outsource the water utility if they could not run its affairs efficiently.
The judges noted with concern that even in those localities where the commodity is supplied, the residents are getting brackish water.
They went on to remark that the cantonment boards and the DHA had become white elephants, adding that around 90% residents in the DHA were forced to buy water through tankers. The chief justice asked the officers as to where these tankers are getting water if there is an acute shortage of the commodity. The officers failed to offer a plausible reply.
Therefore, the bench ordered the KWSB chief to ensure that all legally operated water hydrants are closed down immediately and their fresh tenders issued in five weeks to overcome the city's water crisis. It further directed Ghumro to propose the names of experts to suggest ways to overcome the shortage and ensure adequate water supply across the city.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 9th, 2016.