CM orders for severe operation against illegal water hydrants in Karachi

Sameer Nazir
KARACHI:
Launching of severe operation against the illegal water hydrants/ water connections has been directed by the Chief Minister Sindh Syed Qaim Ali Shah to stop the water theft, save the stolen water for the consumption of common man and control over the water crises in Karachi with immediate effects.
Presiding over the meeting at CM House Karachi today to review the performances of Karachi Water Supply and Sewerage Board (KW&SB) and to discuss/decide the strategy to control over the water crises in the Karachi city, the Chief Minister Sindh Syed Qaim Ali Shah, lauded the efforts of Sindh Minister for Local Government for initiating campaign against the illegal water hydrants in Karachi city and said that still there is need to expedite the vigorous operation against these elements. He directed the management of the KW&SB to submit the list of the illegal water hydrants and the different factories/ industries with their location and ownership who are engaged in water theft.
The Chief Minister directed the Additional IGP Karachi and DG Rangers to provide full support of their forces for demolishing of these illegal water hydrants/ and connections from the factories.
The Chief Minister Sindh directed the management of KW&SB to bring improvement in their Water Distribution Management (WDM) and also to stream line electric connections of their pump houses by keeping close coordination with the K-Electric for which subsidy in billion of rupees have been approved.
The Chief Sindh said that rapidly increasing influx, water theft activities and scarcity of rain fall has caused acute water shortage in the Karachi. He said that PPP Government was aware of this situation and is planning the strategy to meet this situation once for all.
He said that Sindh Government is pursuing its hard to Federal Government for launching K-4 greater water project for Karachi and likely it to be launched in next financial year in the meantime, Sindh Government was also planning to conceive an alternate water supply project to get more water from Kheenjhar Lake for Karachi. However the Chief Minister Sindh also approved schemes of KW&SB for up gradation of Dhaibeji pumping station at its estimated cost of Rs. 1200 million and directed the officers to work on it with immediate effect. This scheme to add 100 million gallon water per day into the supply system of KW&SB.
The Sindh Minister for Local Government Mr. Sharjeel Memon, while briefing the meeting said that there is demand of 1000 million gallon per day water for Karachi where as KW&SB has only 600.5 million gallon water available to distribute, while rest of water is being stolen through 60 to 70 illegal water hydrants and illegal water connections to different factories. He said that though he has launched strict campaign against illegal water hydrants but still yet about 70 such water hydrants are working specially in the west areas of the city.
The Sindh Minister for Local Government sought for having strong force of Sindh Police and Rangers with his management to destroy these water hydrants. The Sindh Minister for Local Government Sharjeel Memon said that he is also bringing reforms and improvement in water distribution management in KW&SB but still there is need of enhancing the capacity of the system.
He said that PC-1 have been prepared to enhance the capacity up to 100 MGD of the Dhaibeji pumping station with its estimate cost of Rs. 1200 million, besides an alternate big water supply scheme has also been conceived at its estimated cost of Rs. 08 billion to take more water from Kheenjhar Lake and add it into the system of KW&SB.
The Chief Minister Sindh Syed Qaim Ali Shah approved the scheme for up gradation of Dhaibeji pumping station with its estimated last of Rs. 1200 million and directed to KW&SB to revisit the other new scheme by keeping in view the timing of K-4 schemes and its impact and submit their report after the June 2014.



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