By Abdul Qadir Qureshi
(Pakistan News &
Features Services)
The Karachi Water & Sewerage Board (KWSB), during a targeted operation, demolished five illegal hydrants and cut off over a dozen
connections taken from main trunk to steal some 12 mgd of water in Mochko Goth,
Ittehad Town and various parts of Manghopir.
The action was taken
upon the directives of the Sindh Information and Local Government Minister,
Sharjeel Inam Memon, and the Managing Director, KWSB, Syed Hashim Raza Zaidi,
who ordered an immediate operation for demolition of illegal hydrants in
Baldia Town.
The Minister had
directed the KWSB to take effective measures for ensuring supply of water
to citizens on equitable basis and also close down all illegal hydrants in the
city’s different areas so that residents of such areas could get rid from water
shortage.
Instructions were also
issued for taking strict action against illegal sale of KWSB water in the name
of water boring.
The Minister was of
the view that these measures would ensure provision of stolen water to citizens
especially those residing in areas which were affected due to shortage of water
and thus bring improvement in water supply in these areas.
The MD KWSB sternly
asked Deputy MD (Technical Services) Iftikhar Ahmed Khan, Chief Engineer, WTM,
Zafar Ali Palejo, Chief Security Officer, Major (R) Mohammad Nawaz Gondal,
Superintending Engineer, Asif Qadri, to push up campaign against illegal
hydrants and water pumping houses all over the city particularly in districts
West and Central under a well planned strategy.
He directed that said
all those illegal hydrants re-emerged must be demolished with immediate
and strict action against those behind their re-emergence as well as water
connections.
Following the
directives, the KWSB staff launched a crackdown with the help of
police and razed more than three hydrants and their filling points and 6
underground water connections with the help of heavy machinery in various areas
of Manghopir including Mashallah Coach Adda, Gulshan-e-Tauheed and Khairabad.
Thec hydrants were openly selling 12 mgd water after stealing it
from KWSB main lines.
A FIR was also being
lodged at the concerned police station against water thieves, a KWSB spokesman
said.
Meanwhile the MD KWSB
strictly directed DMD Technical Services, Chief Engineer, Superintending
Engineer water trunk main and in-charge officer hydrants to follow the Minister’s
directives in letter and spirit and mobilize all available resources to
elimination water theft in the city.
It may be noted
here that the Supreme Court had also taken suo moto notice against the
operation of illegal hydrants.
