'Hydrant tanker trucks collecting rainwater’

DHA residents express concern after video goes viral; authorities deny report

KARACHI:

A video posted on social media showing tanker trucks, meant to supply potable water, collecting sewage-laced rainwater from empty plots in the DHA Phase VIII, has created panic among the residents.

Although the officials of the Defence Housing Authority (DH), Cantonment Board Clifton (CBC), and Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) told The Express Tribune that these tanker trucks were solely meant for dewatering operation and will not be used for hauling potable water in future, civic circles doubt the honesty of the tanker mafia.

After the video went viral on the social networking site, there was a wave of concern among the citizens. "Are we being provided dirty water? The government should take immediate notice of it," residents said.

However, KWSB says that all the tankers involved in lifting sewage and rainwater were private ones which were hired by DHA and CBC for dewatering operations.

The KWSB said, the board has banned all these tankers from getting water from the hydrants.

KWSB Hydrants Focal Person, Shahbaz Ahmed said that registration numbers of all these vehicles have been noted down. Now they can never fill clean water from KWSB hydrants.

"The vehicle numbers are provided to all government hydrants," he said, adding that water board supplies clean water through tankers and tankers are also inspected at every stage. Therefore, the tankers involved in the incident will no longer be given permits for clean water.

Shahbaz Ahmed said that all the details have been provided to the top officials of Sindh government and KWSB, in which they have clearly expressed their indifference to these tankers.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 5^th, 2022.