Starting again: Drive against water mafia resumes as four hydrants destroyed

Tankers' association claims KWSB officials demand bribes from legal hydrants

KARACHI: The Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) has restarted its drive against the water mafia and seized four illegal water hydrants on Monday.

"We have also registered FIRs against the owners of water hydrants," said the KWSB spokesperson. He added that the board has changed its policy and is now registering FIRs against those involved, in the belief that it will help put an end to the menace.



"Earlier, we only used to register complaints against the culprits," he said. "No further action was taken against them and they often went right back to operating the hydrants. But now we have registered an FIR against Jami Chandio and Mir Zaman, who have been operating these four hydrants near the Hub River road."

The spokesman further added that the board closed the illegal connections through which they were stealing water from the main pipeline.

"The operation has been quiet for some time because the law enforcement agencies have been busy with polio vaccinations," he said, but added that the drive will return to full swing as soon as possible.

Leeching from the city

Illegal hydrants are a serious menace for the residents of the metropolis and, according to KWSB officials, 35 to 40 million gallons of water per day is stolen from the main pipelines.

However, All Pakistan Water Tanker Welfare Association general secretary Hazoor Ahmed told The Express Tribune that most of the hydrants operating in Karachi are contracted with the KWSB and that these hydrants have the relevant legal documents and permission required to operate in the city.

"Unfortunately, the board cracks down on the water hydrants whose owners do not line the pockets of the officials of KWSB and the ministry of local bodies," he claimed. "Most of the hydrants have been functional for a long time, so why is the board closing them down now? Because the hydrant owners could not settle their payments with the board members."



Ahmed also refuted suggestion that the city's water crisis is due to these hydrants, and accused KWSB officials of corruption. "The water crisis would continue to plague the city until the board officials stop being corrupt."

However, KWSB water hydrants incharge Rashid Siddiqui said that KWSB has only permitted 18 water hydrants across the city and the rest of them are all illegal.

"The KWSB will continue its crackdown against illegal hydrants as the water mafia is driving up the price by creating an artificial water crisis in the city," he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 25^th, 2014.