Water for all: SC orders KWSB to devise policy on hydrants
Justice Muslim questioned the need for hydrants when pipelines were installed
The ongoing water shortage in Karachi has driven up demand for water tankers in the city, The cost of water tankers has increased exponentially since the water shortage began. PHOTO: FILE
KARACHI:
The Supreme Court (SC) seems to have taken Karachi's perennial water problem to heart. Amid the stark warnings and calls for accountability directed at officials of the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB), the SC bench has made it clear that it will no longer allow the utility to exploit the citizens of Karachi when it comes to the provision of water.
During Thursday's hearing, the three-member bench, headed by Justice Amir Hani Muslim, reprimanded the KWSB managing director Syed Hashim Raza Zaidi for not complying with the court's specific direction to personally appear in the court and explain what action had been initiated against the illegal hydrants that were selling water at exorbitant prices through private tankers.
The judges expressed extreme displeasure over the conduct of the senior officer as he had remained absent from Wednesday's proceedings and had gone to Islamabad to appear at the principal seat where he was not even required to personally appear.
Read: Illegal occupation: KWSB frees main rising lines from encroachment
The bench, which also comprised justices Mushir Alam and Maqbool Bqar, was conducting suo motu proceedings based on various human rights applications filed by the residents of Karachi against the operation of illegal water hydrants and the thriving business of selling the commodity through private tankers that had led to a water shortage in the city.
At the outset, the bench came hard on Hashim Raza Zaidi, who had appeared in response to the notice regarding his absence from the proceedings on Wednesday. Syed Hashim Raza Zaidi filed his explanation and offered an unconditional apology for his absence and assured not to repeat the same in the future.
Read: Notices issued: Sharjeel out to exorcise KWSB of ghost employees
Keeping aside the matter of unconditional apology, the bench questioned as to what was the policy of awarding tenders to operate the water hydrants and to which areas this water was supplied through the contractors, who were the owners of the private water tankers.
Justice Amir Hani Muslim, the head of the bench, asked why it was necessary to run the hydrants and award tenders when the infrastructure was available in the city to provide water through pipelines. Zaidi nodded his consent.
Justice Muslim added that the hydrants may be needed to supply water to areas without pipelines or where temporary settlements were established on emergency basis or to quickly fill the water tenders of the fire brigade. Zaidi complained that every time action was initiated against illegal water hydrants, the contractors obtain stay orders from the high courts.
The managing director disclosed, however, that the water board had not renewed contracts with any contractor to operate water hydrants in the city. He added that water metres were being installed on the hydrants legally established by the KWSB to check the theft of water from the same.
The bench members observed that the theft of water cannot be controlled even by installing meters. The KWSB chief said that the contractors complained the Sindh government had not cleared their dues since 2010 when they had supplied water to the emergency relief camps set up for the IDPs in the city.
The bench noted with concern that the water hydrants were not being used for the purpose for which they were established. Justice Maqbool Baqar observed that the poor citizens, who had no money to buy food, were being compelled to buy water from the private tankers.
Making an indirect reference to supplying water to the rich persons, the bench members told MD Zaidi that it was the poor who needed the commodity more than those could purchase it.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 31st, 2015.
The Supreme Court (SC) seems to have taken Karachi's perennial water problem to heart. Amid the stark warnings and calls for accountability directed at officials of the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB), the SC bench has made it clear that it will no longer allow the utility to exploit the citizens of Karachi when it comes to the provision of water.
During Thursday's hearing, the three-member bench, headed by Justice Amir Hani Muslim, reprimanded the KWSB managing director Syed Hashim Raza Zaidi for not complying with the court's specific direction to personally appear in the court and explain what action had been initiated against the illegal hydrants that were selling water at exorbitant prices through private tankers.
The judges expressed extreme displeasure over the conduct of the senior officer as he had remained absent from Wednesday's proceedings and had gone to Islamabad to appear at the principal seat where he was not even required to personally appear.
Read: Illegal occupation: KWSB frees main rising lines from encroachment
The bench, which also comprised justices Mushir Alam and Maqbool Bqar, was conducting suo motu proceedings based on various human rights applications filed by the residents of Karachi against the operation of illegal water hydrants and the thriving business of selling the commodity through private tankers that had led to a water shortage in the city.
At the outset, the bench came hard on Hashim Raza Zaidi, who had appeared in response to the notice regarding his absence from the proceedings on Wednesday. Syed Hashim Raza Zaidi filed his explanation and offered an unconditional apology for his absence and assured not to repeat the same in the future.
Read: Notices issued: Sharjeel out to exorcise KWSB of ghost employees
Keeping aside the matter of unconditional apology, the bench questioned as to what was the policy of awarding tenders to operate the water hydrants and to which areas this water was supplied through the contractors, who were the owners of the private water tankers.
Justice Amir Hani Muslim, the head of the bench, asked why it was necessary to run the hydrants and award tenders when the infrastructure was available in the city to provide water through pipelines. Zaidi nodded his consent.
Justice Muslim added that the hydrants may be needed to supply water to areas without pipelines or where temporary settlements were established on emergency basis or to quickly fill the water tenders of the fire brigade. Zaidi complained that every time action was initiated against illegal water hydrants, the contractors obtain stay orders from the high courts.
The managing director disclosed, however, that the water board had not renewed contracts with any contractor to operate water hydrants in the city. He added that water metres were being installed on the hydrants legally established by the KWSB to check the theft of water from the same.
The bench members observed that the theft of water cannot be controlled even by installing meters. The KWSB chief said that the contractors complained the Sindh government had not cleared their dues since 2010 when they had supplied water to the emergency relief camps set up for the IDPs in the city.
The bench noted with concern that the water hydrants were not being used for the purpose for which they were established. Justice Maqbool Baqar observed that the poor citizens, who had no money to buy food, were being compelled to buy water from the private tankers.
Making an indirect reference to supplying water to the rich persons, the bench members told MD Zaidi that it was the poor who needed the commodity more than those could purchase it.
The three judges directed the MD to submit a policy meant to regulate and monitor the operation of the water hydrants in the city.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 31st, 2015.