Court bars KWSB from giving water line to hospital

Area residents say health facility got pipeline illegally

KARACHI:

The Sindh High Court (SHC) has restrained Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) from giving water connection to a private hospital in North Nazimabad in response to a petition challenging the supply of additional water line.

The bench also
issued notices to the concerned parties seeking their replies by the next hearing.

A two-member bench headed by Justice Aqeel Ahmad Abbasi on Monday held hearing against alleged illegal connection of water to a private hospital in North Nazimabad.

The counsel for the petitioner Khurram Faizuddin and others submitted that the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board approved a four inch pipeline connection to the private hospital for Rs9 million, while the hospital also paid Rs4.5 million to the district administration for the purpose.

The petition maintains that the hospital has to run an oxygen plant with surplus water.

The petitioners further argued that there is already water scarcity in the area and noticing the work for the illegal water line for the hospital, a large number of people had staged a protest.

The plea said that DSP North Nazimabad arrived with seven SHOs and police officials to control the protest.

If an illegal connection is given to the hospital, the people of the area will starve for water, the counsel for the petitioners argued, requesting the court to stop the illegal connection.

The court issued an injunction on the petition restraining KWSB from giving water connection to the private hospital.

The court has also issued notices to Advocate General Sindh, Water Board and other parties on the petition and sought their response by September 8.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, September 6^th, 2022.