Civic issue: Commission calls for reports on water sample analysis on Jan 11

KARACHI: The judicial commission set up to probe allegations regarding non-provision of potable water and deteriorating sanitation conditions in the province, called on Monday reports from the Pakistan Council of Research and Water Resources analysing the water samples determine its fitness for human consumption.

Justice Muhammad Iqbal Kalhoro, who is heading the inquiry commission setup in compliance of the order passed by the Supreme Court, also extended time for the collection of water samples from different districts of Sindh in 10 days. On Monday, the commission appointed Suleman Chandio, a retired special secretary of the local government department, to assist the court on the issues relating to supply of water, poor sanitation and its impact on the environment in the province.

The commission issued Chandio a notice to appear on January 12.

Concise statements were filed on behalf of the chief secretary, the Clifton Cantonment Board’s chief executive officer, Pakistan Railways divisional engineer Nasir Hameed, Karachi Water and Sewerage Board deputy managing director, managing director of SITE, and managing director of the water and sanitation authority.

Similarly, concise statements were also filed by Hyderabad Municipal Corporation commissioner, Karachi Port Trust deputy manager and director-general of the provincial environmental protection authority.

The commission took their statements on record and copies of the statements were also provided to the additional attorney-general and additional advocate-general for their replies.

Research officer Dr Ghulam Murtaza, who is also assisting the court as amicus curiae, said that in compliance of the commission’s order, the Pakistan Council of Research and Water Resources had collected water samples from five cities — Hyderabad, Tando Muhammad Khan, Badin, Sukkur and Karachi.

He added that the water samples from the remaining districts will be collected by January 11. He requested the commission to allow him at least 10 days time to do so and submit a report. Granting this, Justice Kalhoro asked him to submit a report by January 23.

Meanwhile, the inquiry commission repeated notices to the Korangi Creek Cantonment Board’s chief executive officer and director-general of the Civil Aviation Authority to appear on January 12 along with their reports.

It also issued notices to the presidents of the SITE association of Korangi, Landhi, North Karachi and Federal B Area for the same date.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 10^th, 2017.