Illegal water connections: KWSB turns its focus on bulk consumers
All industrial units in SITE are involved in water theft, says water board official
All industrial units in SITE are involved in water theft, says water board official. PHOTO: KWSB
KARACHI:
The Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) has disconnected two major water connections in SITE - an area that is home to thousands of industries.
The water board claims the main target of the campaign against illegal hydrants and connections are bulk consumers, who openly bribe corrupt officials with millions of rupees to get such connections for their industries.
"We disconnected two main illegal connections at SITE on Saturday," confirmed Asif Qadri, the operational in-charge of KWSB illegal water connection drive. "We were sorry to know that these respectable people were involved in water theft at such a large scale," he lamented. One of the illegal connections, that used a six diameter pipeline, was connected to the Union dying mills, while the other was passing from near Wintex Private Limited.
"The KWSB could not register cases against the owners of these factories as they had either got these illegal connections with permission from SITE authorities or had run away from Karachi," he said. Despite repeated attempts to contact him, the president of the SITE Association for Trade and Industry could not be reached for comments.
For his part, Qadri explained that the basic problem lay in the difference between the supply and demand of water in the industrial area. SITE industrial area requires at least 40 million gallons per day (MGD), while the KWSB is supplying it only five MGD. Therefore, the industrialists connive with the water mafia and install illegal connections by puncturing main trunk lines of the KWSB to cater to their needs. "The water mafia is supplying 35 MGD to these factories illegally," he said.
Qadri added that almost all the industrial units in SITE were involved in water theft. The KWSB, on the directions of the local bodies minister, Sharjeel Memon, has initiated a strict crackdown against all such illegal connections. He assured they will abolish all such connections, particularly in SITE.
A leading industrialist of Karachi, SM Muneer, said that the water shortage in the city's industries has become more aggravated in the recent years. He lamented that there was no respite in the offing as there were no efforts to provide relief to the industries. "We are paying around 100 per cent more to cater to the water needs for our industries," he said. Muneer stressed the need for the Sindh government to chalk out an emergency action plan to meet the needs of the industrial in the city.
KWSB's managing director told The Express Tribune that the board had disconnected at least 135 illegal connections in the last two months. He hoped the campaign would prove its worth during the summer season when the demand for water is at its peak. "The drive will continue until we have destroyed every last illegal connection," he resolved.
The Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) has disconnected two major water connections in SITE - an area that is home to thousands of industries.
The water board claims the main target of the campaign against illegal hydrants and connections are bulk consumers, who openly bribe corrupt officials with millions of rupees to get such connections for their industries.
"We disconnected two main illegal connections at SITE on Saturday," confirmed Asif Qadri, the operational in-charge of KWSB illegal water connection drive. "We were sorry to know that these respectable people were involved in water theft at such a large scale," he lamented. One of the illegal connections, that used a six diameter pipeline, was connected to the Union dying mills, while the other was passing from near Wintex Private Limited.
"The KWSB could not register cases against the owners of these factories as they had either got these illegal connections with permission from SITE authorities or had run away from Karachi," he said. Despite repeated attempts to contact him, the president of the SITE Association for Trade and Industry could not be reached for comments.
For his part, Qadri explained that the basic problem lay in the difference between the supply and demand of water in the industrial area. SITE industrial area requires at least 40 million gallons per day (MGD), while the KWSB is supplying it only five MGD. Therefore, the industrialists connive with the water mafia and install illegal connections by puncturing main trunk lines of the KWSB to cater to their needs. "The water mafia is supplying 35 MGD to these factories illegally," he said.
Qadri added that almost all the industrial units in SITE were involved in water theft. The KWSB, on the directions of the local bodies minister, Sharjeel Memon, has initiated a strict crackdown against all such illegal connections. He assured they will abolish all such connections, particularly in SITE.
A leading industrialist of Karachi, SM Muneer, said that the water shortage in the city's industries has become more aggravated in the recent years. He lamented that there was no respite in the offing as there were no efforts to provide relief to the industries. "We are paying around 100 per cent more to cater to the water needs for our industries," he said. Muneer stressed the need for the Sindh government to chalk out an emergency action plan to meet the needs of the industrial in the city.
KWSB's managing director told The Express Tribune that the board had disconnected at least 135 illegal connections in the last two months. He hoped the campaign would prove its worth during the summer season when the demand for water is at its peak. "The drive will continue until we have destroyed every last illegal connection," he resolved.