Solving water crisis: Officials ordered to make treatment plants functional

Judicial commission gives KWSB authorities, LG dept three months' notice

KARACHI: The local government department and Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) authorities should get all the non-functional water and sewerage treatment plants back into order within three months, ordered the judicial commission, probing the allegations of non-supply of clean drinking water and deteriorating sanitation conditions in Sindh, on Saturday.

Justice Muhammad Iqbal Kalhoro, who is heading the commission, which has been constituted in compliance of the orders passed by the Supreme Court, also sought compliance reports from the authorities. The commission is conducting its proceedings on daily basis to wrap up the same within six weeks.

At the outset, LG secretary Ramzan Awan, District West DIG and SSP, and KWSB officials appeared before the commission. The petitioner, Shahab Usto, informed the commission that the water board authorities were provided 120 acres of land for the installation of a water treatment plant in the Mehmoodabad. But, most of the land has illegally been encroached upon, he alleged, adding that the authorities failed to retrieve the land.

The commission directed the KWSB to get the encroachments from the site removed with the help of the police.

Justice Kalhoro ordered Awan and the KWSB to ensure all the water and sewerage treatment plants, which had been lying non-functional for a long time, are made operational within three months. He said steps should be taken on emergency basis to resolve the problems.

At this stage, Usto also informed the commission that around 200 acres of land had been allocated for the S-III project in Korangi neighborhood of the city. He said the delays in initiating work on the project had caused apprehensions that land might also be encroached upon by the land grabbers.

Justice Kalhoro inquired from the Awan since how long the water treatment plant was lying non-operational.

The commission directed the secretary to submit complete details of the Mehmoodabad water treatment plant, including information about its staff and budget allocations. Awan was ordered to submit the details by Monday.

Meanwhile, KWSB officials informed the commission that around 30 complaints were pending with the environmental protection tribunal. The officials said that those found responsible for spreading pollution will be imprisoned for up to two years and fined Rs500,000.

Garbage collection

The commission also inquired from the managing-director of the solid waste management department regarding the quantity of garbage which was collected in the city on daily basis.

The officer replied that 12,000 tons of garbage was generated in the city daily, but since the solid waste management department was recently established it did not have any vehicles to lift and dump it.

He said the Chinese firms will be lifting the garbage in the East and South districts.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 15^th, 2017.