Managing waste: Residents lacking proper sewerage systems served notices

Warned pipes carrying water to their houses will be disconnected .

PESHAWAR:

Officials from the irrigation department informed the Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Tuesday that notices have been served to owners of houses lacking proper sewerage systems.

Officials said notices were issued as water flowing from these houses contaminated city drains used for cultivation purposes, resulting in the breakout of different diseases. They added owners had been told if they did not rectify the issue, pipes carrying water from their houses would be blocked.

A green bench comprising PHC Chief Justice Dost Muhammad Khan and Justice Musarrat Hilali was hearing a suo motu notice taken on complaints stating Shahi Katta, the main drain carrying a major part of the city’s waste, was blocked due to mud and plastic bags.

Municipal corporation officials submitted a report detailing the cleaning of Shahi Katta and some other drains of the provincial capital’s and assured the court the mud causing blockage had been shifted outside the city.

The bench was also told iron grills would be erected on both sides of the city canals through the next annual development fund so that sold waste is not thrown into the drains.

The municipal officials further said among the 121 corporation workers earlier performing duties for high-ranking officials, only 15 were yet to report back. These remaining workers had been served notices, maintained the officials, adding their salaries had been stopped for neglecting their duties and serving at the residences of VIPs.

In response, the bench said the corporation needs to retrieve the previous salaries of these workers and also issue arrest warrants for them.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 17^th, 2013.