KARACHI, March 12: A single bench of Sindh High Court, comprising Justice Zahid Kurban Alvi, granted on Wednesday stay order against the water and sanitation department restraining it from executing the warrant for the recovery of Rs5,786,779 against water/conservancy charges and other dues from Hotel Regency in Saddar and fixed the hearing of the matter for March 18.

Advocate Saalim Salam Ansari contended that the action/warrant notice for the recovery of Rs5,786,779 was illegal and without jurisdiction, and there was no water supply to the hotel and it was buying private tankers.

The plaintiff had applied to the KWSB, as the water and sanitation department was known formerly, many times to install a water meter so that bills could be charged according to the metre reading. Further, the KWSB revised the bills/dues at Rs88,000 a year, ie, the charges for water supply would be calculated at the rate of Rs88,000 a year and payments made by the hotel would be adjusted.

The counsel for the petitioner contended that no fee could be charged if service was not rendered.—PPI