Mehmoodabad treatment plant: SC seeks report on measures being taken to remove encroachers

KWSB MD ordered to submit report on repair, renovation of dysfunctional treatment plants in city

KARACHI: The Supreme Court (SC) sought on Tuesday a report from the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) managing-director on measures being taken to remove encroachers from Mehmoodabad treatment plant's land and provide them with an alternative land.

While hearing a case regarding marine and air pollution at the SC's Karachi Registry, a three-judge bench, headed by Justice Mushir Alam, also sought progress report on repairing and renovation of the dysfunctional treatment plants in the metropolis.

Earlier, the KWSB managing-director informed the court that up to 80 per cent renovation and repair work on the Treatment Plant-I and Treatment Plant-II (TP-I and TP-II) had been completed in compliance with the court's directives.



He pointed out that 92 acres of the land belonging to TP-II in Mehmoodabad was under encroachment. The KWSB managing-director said that the treatment plant could be made functional within shortest possible period of time on a temporary basis, even if 42 acres of the land was made available. He informed the court that the process of retrieving the remaining 50 acres of land from the illegal occupants and providing them with an alternative space will take time.

The bench directed the managing-director to submit a report showing progress on repair or renovation of the non-functional treatment plants, in addition to the measures being taken to retrieve the encroached 92 acres land of TP-II and re-settlement of the occupants.