Commission submits report on Balochistan water crisis

Provincial government to present report to apex court on April 26

QUETTA: The Water Commission that was constituted by the apex court in 2018 has submitted its final report to the government of Balochistan after finalizing its recommendations regarding early completion of water supply schemes in different areas of the province.

“The commission has fulfilled its duty and submitted its final report. Now Balochistan chief secretary is bound to present the report before the SC at upcoming hearing of the case on April 26,” Water Commission chairman Amanullah Kanrani told a press conference on Wednesday.

The Supreme Court on December 14, 2018 constituted a two-member commission to probe non-availability of clean drinking water in Bolan district of Balochistan and ordered the commission to submit its report in two weeks.

The court had appointed the Supreme Court Bar Association’s former president Kanrani as the head of the commission that also included Engineer Osman Babai. Irrigation and other departments had also been ordered to provide full support to the commission.

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A three-member bench, led by former chief justice of Pakistan (CJ) Mian Saqib Nisar, had formed the commission during a hearing of a suo motu case. The apex court had taken suo motu notice after a video on social media showed that residents of Bolan’s Bhagnari area did not have access to clean water.

Before submission of the final report, the commission submitted two reports after reviewing water supply systems in different areas.

Kanrani said an SC bench comprising CJ Gulzar Ahmed, Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Sijjad Ali Shah directed the government on February 26 to submit the final report through the chief secretary after revisiting and redressing the shortcomings.

“All the authorities concerned have been directed by the court to implement the report,” he said.

Describing irregularities that were noticed while compiling the recommendations, he said water issue in Gwadar could be resolved in Rs8 million by fixing the pipeline from Mirani Dam.

“But unfortunately a tanker mafia is involved which with the help of some bigwigs is providing water to locals in Rs1.5 per litre instead of actual cost Re0.25,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 14^th, 2020.