Tariff Hike: Industries criticise water board

Business lament how despite regular payments, their water supply remains irregular.

KARACHI:

SITE Association of Industry Chairman Abdul Wahab Lakhani criticised on Monday the decision of the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) to do away with subsidised water rates for bulk consumers, thus increasing the tariff by 82 per cent from August 1.

Terming the decision unilateral, Lakhani said KWSB did not take the industrial consumers into confidence.

He said the industrial units in SITE received water from KWSB and SITE Limited. “Despite regular payments, water supply to industries is erratic,” he said.

He said KWSB supplied five million gallons of water a day, which was inadequate for the 4,000 industrial units operating in SITE.

He urged KWSB to adopt the electronic billing system, which was developed over two years ago.

Lakhani appealed to Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad Khan and Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah to intervene and stop the increase in water tariff.





Published in The Express Tribune, August 9^th, 2011.