Illegal occupation: KWSB frees main rising lines from encroachment

The lines, lying under encroached land, supply 70 per cent of Karachi's water.

KARACHI: Main rising lines of the city, supplying around 70 per cent of Karachi's water, were freed from encroachment by the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) near Safoora Chowrangi on Tuesday.

According to KWSB spokesperson Nazeer Mateen, the water lines were located around 18 feet below the surface. He said that the raid took place to clear encroached land over an area of five kilometres and will continue for the next five days. "There were KWSB installations including main lines and rising lines on the encroached land."

According to Mateen, around 300 houses, nurseries and shops had been built on the land. He added that in case of any sabotage or terrorist activity, the supply of water to the city would have been cut off.

KWSB superintendent engineer Syed Ejaz explained that the two 84-inch water lines, four 48-inch lines and one 24-inch line were located under the encroached area. "The land had been illegally occupied for the past eight years," he revealed, adding that 36 illegal water hydrants were also found during the raid. He claimed that the land had become the hub of criminals and robbers.

"Heavy machinery was used to demolish the encroachments with the help of the police and Rangers," he said. "The bushes on the land were also set ablaze."

Published in The Express Tribune, June 3^rd, 2015.