WASA outlines reform measures but fails to give timeline for implementation

Report was submitted to the SHC, which has taken up a citizen’s plea for provision of clean water

HYDERABAD: The measures taken to reform the under-performing and cash-strapped Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) of Hyderabad over the last few years seem to be lagging far behind the objectives which have been set by the agency. According to a report submitted on Thursday by WASA in the Sindh High Court, which adjourned the hearing without arguments after taking the report on record, the agency has outlined minuscule accomplishments.

Meanwhile, the agency has again sought time to achieve the targets of providing clean drinking water, increasing its revenues and plugging water theft. The SHC was scheduled to hear the petition of Advocate Sajjad Ahmed Chandio, who has been fighting the case for the supply of clean drinking water in Hyderabad for over a year, before it was adjourned to January 14.

Although the petitioner has been pointing out water theft mainly by commercial consumers since the beginning of the case, the WASA, in its report, states that it is yet to survey the illegal connections and, subsequently, regularise the same. The agency has so far traced only 479 illegal commercial connections and 4,361 domestic ones. “Re-organisation of the human resource, recruitment of professionals and sanitary workers through Sindh Public Service Commission and from third party test [will also be carried out],” reads the report, submitted by the managing director of WASA, Saleemuddin Arain.

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Introducing advanced technology, especially mechanised drainage and installation of prepaid water meters, are also among the agency’s goals. The authorities also desire to restructure WASA as well as its parent organisation, the Hyderabad Development Authority.

The establishments of a parks and horticulture agency, traffic engineering and planning agency, IT centre for e-governance, billing and administration and bifurcation of the taxation branch are some of the other plans listed in the report. However, no timeline has been given in the report for realising those plans.

The petitioner had pointed out that hundreds of car wash stations are operating illegally in the district. But the report apprised the court that the WASA has so far registered FIRs only against two of those service stations which, reportedly, continue to draw water from the agency’s system on the assurance that they will become its consumers.

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“A comprehensive policy for issuance of licenses to the service stations has been prepared. It will be placed before the governing body of HDA for consideration and approval,” the report informed. The WASA submitted a list of only nine illegally operating service stations to the deputy commissioner for action on August 30, 2019, but no action has been taken so far. “Outcome of the operation will be presented before the court at the next date of hearing.”

The WASA apparently tried to mislead the court by pointing out that a complaint centre was set up in the office of Hyderabad DC on August 7, 2019, where three officers of WASA were deputed. That centre was actually set up for the rain emergency after July 29, 2019, torrential downpour drowned large parts of Hyderabad. However, the agency stated that it has submitted an application to Pakistan Telecommunication Authority to re-allocate 1334 helpline number to WASA, adding that the agency is in the process of paying the demand note.

During the previous hearing, the court had directed WASA to explain how it spent Rs4.166 billion which it received from the provincial government over nine years. The agency apprised the court that Rs1.58 billion was paid to Hyderabad Electric Supply Company for the electricity bills and Rs513 million were utilised for the rehabilitation of filtration plants and laboratories. The remaining amount of more than Rs2 billion was spent on paying salaries, pensions and gratuities.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 22^nd, 2019.