SHC asks police to close illegal hydrants down

Karachi Water and Sewerage Board filed a constitutional petition against lack of police action.

KARACHI: The Karachi Water and Sewerage Board has filed a constitutional petition in the Sindh High Court against a lack of police action against people stealing water from illegal hydrants.

On Friday, a division bench of Justice Gulzar Ahmed and Justice Imam Bux Baloch asked the police to first close down illegal hydrants immediately and then take further action. The bench went through reports submitted by the  DIG East and West informing the bench of what the police had done against these operators. The court said this work was not enough.

According to the reports, a number of FIRs were lodged and investigations were underway but no action had been taken. The court had earlier ordered strict action against people who damage bulk water supply lines.

The bench gave the respondents two weeks to submit a detailed report on how many illegal hydrants were closed down, how many people were arrested and how many were facing trial for causing a loss to the petitioner, KWSB. The bench put off the hearing till mid-December.

KWSB’s lawyer Abrar Hasan advocate had earlier said that serious action was needed in Sohrab Goth, Baldia and Ibrahim Haidery (all in the vicinity of industrial zones).

Published in The Express Tribune, November 29^th, 2010.