Judicial commission: 16 civic bodies to submit details on potable water supply

Commission registrar expects reports back on January 9

KARACHI: A judicial commission set up to probe the allegations of undrinkable water and poor sanitation has now included in its investigations 16 civic agencies of Karachi and Hyderabad.

On Thursday, Justice Muhammad Iqbal Kalhoro of the Sindh High Court, who is heading the commission, directed the heads of these bodies to file their concise statements containing necessary details regarding provision of potable water to the residents in their respective areas besides deteriorating conditions of sanitation and its adverse effect on the environment by January 9.

The commission's registrar, Ghulam Mustafa Channa, told The Express Tribune that the heads of these bodies are directed to inform what measures have been taken so far and whether or not any results were achieved. The commission is conducting its proceedings every day to wrap up the inquiry within six weeks.



The civic agencies are in the investigations include the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation, the Defence Housing Authority, Karachi Water and Sewerage Board, Karachi Development Authority, and the cantonment boards of Clifton, Karachi, Faisal, Malir and Korangi. Moreover, the Karachi Port Trust, the Civil Aviation Authority, the SITE Association, Pakistan Railways, Water and Sanitation Agency Hyderabad and Hyderabad Development Authority have also been asked to submit reports.

On Tuesday, the commission had ordered laboratory testing of the samples of water being supplied to the residents in different cities and districts of Sindh to determine its fitness for human consumption. Meanwhile, the inquiry body had also issued notices to three experts proposed by the federal and provincial governments as well as petitioner Shahab Usto to assist during the inquiry.

Last month, the SC ordered the formation of this commission headed by a sitting SHC judge to inquire into the allegations that the government had failed to provide potable drinking water and has been unable to improve sanitation conditions in the province.

The commission had invited the general public and public organisations to assist in the proceedings by submitting their statements supported by affidavits.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 6^th, 2017.