PHOTO: APP
During the commission's hearing, conducted by its head Justice (Retd) Amir Hani Muslim, in Karachi on Tuesday, Changyi Kangje Sanitation Engineering Company was also given three weeks to wash and paint the dustbins and submit a compliance report.
The company was given the contract of collecting and disposing solid waste by the Sindh government two years ago. The commission observed that the functioning of the centre would resolve many issues arising among the parties to the contract, besides improving the administrative shortcomings on the part of the contractor. Sindh Solid Waste Management Board (SSWMB) Managing Director Saeed Ahmed Mangnejo also backed the contractor's assurance. Last month, the contractor apprised the commission that door-to-door collection would be started, additional machinery would be procured, 15,000 more dustbins would be added and placed and manual sweeping of streets and machine-sweeping of main roads would be carried out.
SBCA
Justice (R) Muslim expressed dismay over the unabated conversion of residential plots in Hyderabad into commercial ones. The commission issued show-cause notice to Hyderabad regional director of Sindh Building Control Authority, Navid Asim, for his continued absence from the hearings despite notice.
"The conduct of the SBCA regional director is also unusual," Justice (R) Muslim observed. "Let the regional director appear and justify."
The Hyderabad municipal commissioner was also put on notice to appear before the commission to explain how the Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (HMC) has been allowing conversion of residential plots into commercial ones. The local government secretary, Mayor of HMC, Hyderabad Development Authority DG and its planning director have also been summoned.
He also noted that the converted land does not belong to the HMC which is only a trustee of the state's land. "The nature [residential] of land can't be converted by the municipal corporation or by any other authority."
Some residents of Latifabad taluka in Hyderabad had approached the commission, complaining that the authorities are illegally converting residential plots to commercial in the area.
The commission also noted that the SBCA frequently transferred officials against whom complaints are received. "This is done in order to shift the responsibility and save the delinquents." Justice (R) Muslim noted that a particular commercial building is being raised without approval. SBCA Director-General Iftikhar Qaimkhani concurred with the observation.
The SBCA has also failed to implement another earlier order of the commission, given on August 7, to clear the roads, streets and footpaths of construction material and debris. The commission has also earlier taken notice of the conversion of industrial plots into commercial ones in Hyderabad SITE area.
PHED
The commission rebuked officials of the Public Health Engineering Department for not pursuing with Hyderabad Electric Supply Company the case of energising the reverse osmosis plants. "... instead they [PHED officials] are passing the buck on to HESCO."
Out of six RO plants in Tharparkar, PHED submitted the demand notice of only three to HESCO, the company's chief engineer Abdul Haq Memon told the commission. He added that the Sindh Coal Authority, which was supposed to purchase the transformer, has still not paid for it. The commission summoned the provincial energy secretary and Sindh Coal Authority DG on November 7 to explain the delay and to submit the demand notice to HESCO.
Justice (R) Muslim also summoned the chief executive officer of Cantonment Board Clifton on November 7. The commission will take up all issues pertaining to Karachi Water and Sewerage Board on November 14.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 7th, 2018.
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