“The mafia is filling up 300 trucks with sand daily from the catchment area of the Hub Dam with the help of certain Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) officials and the police,” said a KWSB official.
“The illegal excavations have damaged Karachi’s water supply system as well as a few KWSB installations.”
The KWSB spokesman also confirmed that excavation of sand and gravel is threatening the Hub Dam’s catchment and reservoir. “The KWSB managing-director took notice of the issue and said that all KWSB officials who are found involved must be brought to justice” he said. “We are imposing Section 144 in order to stop illegal excavation in the Hub Dam.”
He further added that, as per engineering and safety rules, water supply lines must be under the ground. However, the mafia uses heavy dumpers and loaders for excavation, lifting the soil on top of these supply lines, and hence exposing them. He said that this means that the supply lines are easily damaged, causing substantial financial loss to the utility.
According to an expert, underground water level is declining due to the excavation of sand and gravel, which may cause a drought.
The Hub Dam catchment area sprawls 3,410 square miles and has so far remained dry in the current season, according to the KWSB spokesperson. He added that the catchment area of the dam runs across the Dadu district, the Khirtar National Park, Saruna, Dureji and the Shah Noorani area in Balochistan.
When contacted, Karachi commissioner Shoaib Ahmed Siddiqui said that the issue is being investigated. “We are thoroughly investigating the issue as it is a serious menace for the supply of water to Karachi from the Hub Dam” he said. “We will take strict action against all those found involved in the excavation.”
Published in The Express Tribune, July 1st, 2014.
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