The water tankers are stopped by the police for bribes so their association is demanding permits. PHOTO: FILE
The Sindh High Court (SHC) observed that the already existing water hydrants have proved to be a big menace for Karachi.
At a hearing of a plea demanding regularisation of the tankers’ network, the judges observed that they have already passed several similar orders on the same issue. There are certain areas of the city where water is unavailable through containers, but that does not mean that conduits be allowed to exploit the situation, the court observed on January 30.
The Water Tankers Owners’ Welfare Association had gone to court against the government, demanding their businesses be regulated by issuing licences to operators. The association cited the local government secretary, Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) managing director and chief engineer, additional inspector general of police and the deputy inspector generals of East, West and South zones as respondents.
Hazoor Ahmed Khan, the association’s general secretary, said its 180 members are supplying non-potable sub-soil water from water hydrants to the industries in various parts of the city. In order to regulate the supply from hydrants to industries through water tankers, a meeting of KWSB, Karachi commissioner, police and industries’ representatives was held on March 13, 2012, when it was decided to regulate this business by working out a proper policy.
It was decided that water hydrants would be registered and licences would be issued to operators, claimed Khan, adding that tankers were allowed to operate freely until the policy was formalised.
According to Khan, the association has requested KWSB to issue permits to its members but to no avail. The SHOs of certain police stations have, however, been harassing the tanker operators and detaining them for bribes, he claimed. In fact, the DIG has directed all SHOs in zone West to shut down all hydrants, said Khan.
He asked the court direct the KWSB chief to issue permits and restrain the police from harassing the operators.
The bench, headed by Justice Maqbool Baqar, issued notices to all respondents and NGO Shehri making it clear that the notices cannot be misused to regularise or allow hydrants that have been closed down.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 3rd, 2013.
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