KARACHI - The Supreme Court mandated judicial commission on water and sanitation on Tuesday directed the Water and Sewerage Board to lay pipelines in Baldia Town area to provide drinking water to the area people.
The commission has also ordered to complete the devolvement schemes in Thatta district as per date-line. The judicial commission headed by Justice (r) Ameer Hani Muslim was hearing the matter on water, wherein the residents of district east and west have complained verbally against shortage of water in their areas. On the query of the commission, the board officials informed that commission that 50 percent of areas are provided water through pipelines only 30 percent of areas are facing shortage of water, the residents denied the claims made by the officials by saying that no arrangement has been made to provide water.
The commission directed to complete the scheme of supply water within ten days. The commission took up the issue of TP-V and was informed that Asif Hyder Shah, focal person of the commission of Karachi issues consulted with stakeholders including Karachi Port Trust (KPT), Board of Revenue (BoR) and other relevant authorities as per directives of the commission.
The KPT assured the commission to enhance the capacity of the proposed treatment plant-V form 60 MGD to 100 in two phases within two years after its installation.
The KPT and the BoR submitted their reports wherein they stated that a joint survey was carried out the settlement department of revenue and state department of the KPT which revealed that out of 124-31 access of the land earmarked/identified for treatment plant TP-III 20 acres of land is free for superstructure.
It was pointed out that out of this 62-00 acres land is claimed to have been allotted to private individuals in exchange by the BoR Sindh and 6-00 acres of land has been reserved for NAB officials colony.
However, according to the Member of Land Unitization Department (LU) no payment has been made by NAB. Besides, some allottees of Sindh government have approached the courts as well. There is also litigation pending between the KPT and the BoR and NLC as well on the issue of little.
The commission directed the KPT to provide concept paper/schematic design to the member land utilisation, who in turn will float a summary incorporating the earlier order of commission passed by consent of the parties and the present order so that the competent authority to consent to earmark the land measuring 124-31 acres for proposed TP-V.
It directed the KPT to utilize the bare minimum area for TP-V and the remaining land to be used for mangroves only in consultation with forest department.
The commission observed that public will benefit from the treatment plant and mangroves vegetation will flourish which in turn will give healthy marine life and minimize the contamination in entire seashore.
This step will further have a positive impact on export of the fishing market in Pakistan and will provide safe berthing infrastructure to the shipping industries which were being affected because of contamination.