All drained out: No money to pump out sewage
The Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) revealed that it does not have funds to buy fuel for the 67 electricity generators installed at sewage pumping stations.
“We have not paid our employees for the past three months,” said Shafique Arain, the managing director of WASA on Tuesday.
Latifabad, Qasimabad and other parts of Hyderabad city’s tehsils do not have gravity drains. The sewage is drained out through pumping machines which use generators.
According to Arain, his department has been dealing with an acute financial crunch.
“Against the monthly recovery of around Rs21 million, Wasa spends Rs31 million on employees’ salaries alone.”
The Hyderabad Development Authority (HDA), Wasa’s parent organisation, gave them a total of Rs180 million in the past year and a half. “But even this amount is not enough to meet Wasa’s deficit,” said HDA’s director general, Ghulam Muhammad Qaimkhani.
Sindh Fisheries Minister Zahid Bhurgari formed a committee comprising officers of HDA, Wasa and Hyderabad Development Package to look into water supply and drainage problems and to come up with solutions within seven days. Their recommendations will be pursued with the help of financial support from the government.
He asked the departments to use their current resources to resolve the situation for now.
Meanwhile, Bhurgari presided over a meeting to look over the preparation for the upcoming monsoon while the city recieved its first rains heralding the arrival of the monsoon.
Scattered drizzles were recorded in different parts of the city. According to the meteorological office, 4.5 millimeters rain was recorded by 6 pm on Monday.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 27th, 2011.
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Public of country is observing Mal-practices, corruptions and anomalies in all departments since the day of birth of Pakistan. Huge fund allocated/granted by UNESCO,UNICEF and World Bank goes lining pockets of bureaucrats therefore due to this reasons no any welfare work is seen by public. Hence all claims from HDA/WASA that they don't have funds is not acceptable to people. People do not desire these high ranking employees that loot and plunder the people wealth in jobs. If those politicians/parliamentarians that wish to see Pakistan a progressive countries must remove these officials from department and special commission depending on loyal, honest is needed for survey about the properties earned through deception to public....
all sewage lines, fresh water lines are seen broken in locality behind Shah Bhetai Hospital Latifabad Unit-4 and beside having good material for its maintenance the authorities ignore and demand more funds..During recent rains the water is seen stagnant since long that damaging valuable properties of general public....and these are authorities that pay no heed to grievances of general public..Kindly saved Pakistan..and honest and pains taking officials why not retired long long earlier and alive their services must be taken voluntarily..