KARACHI, April 27: The Provincial Ombudsman, Justice Haziqul Khairi, has directed the EDO Water and Sanitation to take up work pertaining to laying of a pipeline in Orangi’s Bilal Colony (Sector-3) to ensure piped water to the area within two months.
The Ombudsman also directed the EDO to take disciplinary action against the chief engineer under the services rules for not executing the work earlier despite provision of funds in the 1999-2000 budget and submit a compliance report within three months.
An order to this effect was issued by the Ombudsman while deciding a complaint filed by Orangi Town’s Bilal Colony Welfare Society.
The society’s general secretary, Aftab Alam Ashrafi, in his complaint alleged that no pipeline had been laid in four streets of Orangi’s Sector 14, Block C (Bilal Colony), yet the residents are being charged and have been paying water bills regularly to the KWSB since 1981.
He alleged that funds for laying of 4 and 6-inch dia pipelines were available in the 1999-2000 budget, yet the work had not been executed on the pretext of non-availability of funds despite the fact that budget booking slip (dated 13.10.1999) clearly showed that funds to the extent of Rs 3,43,000 were allocated for the work.
In his judgement, the ombudsman remarked that the chief engineer (KWSB) was called to hearing (vide letter dated June 14, 2002) but he failed to appear and requested for adjournment from time to time and hence no amicable settlement could be brought about.
SHORTAGE: An acute water shortage continues to persist in various parts of the city on Sunday.
The worst affected localities included Mehmoodabad, Clifton’s block 2, different sectors of Baldia and Orangi and Lyari’s Rangiwarra, Singo Lane, Shah Beg Lane, UBL Street and parts of Chakiwarra, Behar Colony and Agra Taj Colony.
CLOSURE: The localities where water supply will remain suspended on Monday include all blocks of North Nazimabad, Federal B’ Area, North Karachi’s Shadman Town and parts of Nazimabad.
MALIR: The residents of Malir-Khokhrapar have also been suffering owing to shortage of water in the locality.
They said that despite the fact that the locality had been receiving water from two sources — Dhabeji and Dumlottee — yet the water scarcity had not been overcome.
They attributed water shortage to uneven distribution of water to various localities, and said that the city government should ensure even distribution of water to various localities.
The areas facing water shortage included Sector 8-A, B, G, H areas and Indus Mehran, Kausar Town, Pak Kausar Town which are being fed from the Shaheed Chowk Pumping Station.
