An effective strategy?: Rangers take charge of crackdown against illegal water hydrants

KWSB says the business is backed by militants and the troopers are needed for a successful operation.

KARACHI: As the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) fails to contain the illegal business of water hydrants worth billions of rupees, Rangers have assumed charge of the crackdown.

“Continuing the operation against militants is a very hard task,” said a KWSB spokesperson. “Now we have requested the law enforcement personnel, including Rangers, to chalk out a strategy for curbing this illegal business.”

The KWSB will provide technical assistance and information to Rangers who will largely remain at the forefront of the operation. Illegal hydrants are functional in areas where the existence of militants is known to the law enforcement agencies. “Without a strong strategy, these operations can not be successful,” said the spokesperson.

According to a Rangers spokesperson, the existence of illegal water hydrants is a serious threat as militants, especially in the West zone, patronise this business. “We will not let the water mafia function in the city,” he told The Express Tribune. He added that since the money produced by the business is being used in terrorist activities, it was decided in the high-level meeting at Sindh Rangers headquarters that these criminals will be dealt with iron hand.

The spokesperson announced that an intensive drive will start within a few days, particularly in the West zone. He named Manghopir and Orangi Town as areas where illegal hydrants have been set up, adding that the water mafia have established an underground network and punctured main pipelines in areas such as Nazimabad, Banaras and SITE.

KWSB’s illegal water hydrants drive operational in-charge Asif Qadri said that they have already shared all information regarding illegal hydrants in the city with the Rangers. “At least 15 big illegal hydrants are active in the West zone while at least 138 small hydrants are functional across the city.”

According to Qadri, six people have been killed by militants in the West zone alone over refusal to pay extortion. These militants, he alleged, run illegal hydrants in Baldia Town. “Everybody knows that the illegally earned money is being used to materialise terrorist activities in Karachi and these criminals should be dealt with iron hands.”

Describing the illegal water network in the city, he said that no one could have imagined that the water mafia would lay down an underground network especially in SITE at such a vast level and provide water to SITE factories by puncturing the main lines of the KWSB.

“Without the support of militants, the water mafia cannot continue their operations in the city, especially in the outskirts,” he said. “It is now the Rangers’ task to abolish these water hydrants and underground network of water pipe lines for the sake of the city’s peace.”

Published in The Express Tribune, January 23^rd, 2015.