Karachi: The Supreme Court has ordered constitution of committees to deal with illegal hydrants and water theft issues in the city.
The committees will comprise district judges of West and Malir, high ranking police officers, KWSB officials and other stakeholders.
The superior court had taken notice on applications against illegal operation of water hydrants damaging the KWSB lines in different areas of Karachi.
The applicants had submitted that not only the increase in number of illegal hydrants has inexorably damaged the KWSB mainstream system but also polluting the clean water thus creating health hazards and environmental problems.
It was stated that due to theft, the water supply to different residential areas were suffering badly and these entities were becoming challenge for the board and the government as well.
KWSB Managing Director Syed Hashim Raza Zaidi submitted that the board was taking action against the illegal hydrants operating in the city and mostly it faces difficulties in SITE, Maghopir, Mochko, Landhi and Malir areas where these hydrants appear again soon after dismantling by the board staff.
He added that the water tanker mafia was operating a parallel water board in the SITE area besides that the SITE and northern bypass areas were being used for illegal operation and transportation of water tankers.
Inspector General Sindh Police Ghulam Hyder Jamali submitted that whenever KWSB requested for operation against illegal hydrants, the necessary police force was provided to the board.
He also produced lists of cases registered against the owners of illegal hydrants and water theft in different police stations of the city.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf MPA Abdul Hafeez said that people of his constituency were not being provided drinking water for the last two months while tanker mafia was operating in the SITE area without any check by the administration.
The two-member bench, headed by Justice Sarmad Jalal Osmany also directed KWSB to take action against illegal hydrants in the city.
