Judicial commission wants proper disposal of filth taken out from nullahs

Wasim Akhtar submits report on cleaning work on drains

KARACHI: The Judicial Commission on Water and Sanitation expressed on Tuesday its displeasure over the filth lying near drains after they were cleaned.

Justice (retd) Amir Hani Muslim presided over the commission's proceedings at the Sindh High Court.

Karachi Mayor Wasim Akhtar and officers of the local government department appeared before the commission and submitted a report on the cleaning of drains in the city. It was mentioned in the report that the metropolis had 594 drains in total, of which 38 were under the management of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation, while the others were in the control of the respective district municipal corporations (DMC).

The judicial commission was informed that the DMCs were responsible for rainwater drains along the roads. The commission remarked that the filth taken out from drains during cleaning work was not being properly disposed and it was left alongside drains.



Akhtar assured the commission that contractors responsible for cleaning drains will not be paid until they properly disposed the debris. The commission asked the mayor to visit the Glass Tower drain with him and see filth lying around there. Justice (retd) Muslim asked Akhtar to come up with a solution to resolve the issue of filth around Glass Tower drain.

The commission head said to the mayor that a commissioner penalised a trader in India for throwing garbage, to which Akhtar replied that in Pakistan, an assistant commissioner could be easily dismissed on the call of a bigwig.

DMC Central Chairperson Rehan Hashmi informed the commission that he had asked a sessions judge to order deployment of police officers to stop people from throwing garbage. Hashmi suggested that a fine of up to Rs5,000 should be imposed on those who throw garbage in public areas. The commission directed the authorities to form a strategy to prevent disposal of waste in public areas.

The irrigation secretary and other officers appeared before the commission to answer its queries regarding the theft of water from the streams of Keti Bandar. To a query regarding perpetrators who were responsible for illegal water connections, the commission was informed that four feudal lords were behind the water theft. It was also informed during the hearing that despite complaints, the Garho police did not register any case regarding the water theft.



The commission ordered all the SSPs to follow its orders regarding the water theft. It also issued notice to the IG on the matter.

A Sindh Environmental Protection Agency (Sepa) official informed the commission that a notice had been served to the plastic bag manufacturing factories to follow the law. Directing Sepa to comply with its orders, the commission summoned the environment secretary and Sepa director-general today (Wednesday) and adjourned the hearing.