KARACHI, Nov 25: In a major crackdown against private hydrants, the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board on Thursday removed about 60 major water connections.
These connections were taken illegally by at least 27 private hydrants from main water supply conduits of 66,54 and 33 inches diameter, thus depriving the people in certain areas of water.
At least 12 hydrants were found operating in Ayub village of Gadap town, while in Baldia about 13 such connections were taken from a main 54 inches diameter pipeline by the owners of the hydrants.
Similarly, in SITE town, where a majority of hydrants are still operating on the Gattar Baghicha land, only two connections were removed. The Karachi Water and Sewerage Board said the hydrants had been drawing water even from the 66-inch dia Hub Trunk Main, 54-inch North-East Karachi Main and 33-inch Hub Main Trunk.
The hydrant owners, they said, had caused an artificial water shortage merely to give a boost to sale of water by private tankers. A heavy posse of rangers and police, along with town police officers and SHOs, was present during the operation against illegal hydrants.
The KWSB officials said they disconnected water connections of 12 hydrants in Gadap Town, two in Manghopir and 13 in Baldia as all these hydrants had taken illegal connections and had disturbed the water supply system. Though the police could not apprehend owners of such hydrants, they managed to arrest some of the staff members of the hydrants.
The entire operation was monitored by KWSB's chief engineer (Water Distribution), Asudomal, and SE and executive engineers of the towns concerned. Mr Asudomal told Dawn that owing to the action being taken against hydrants, water supply position in certain city localities would certainly improve.
He warned the owners of the hydrants to voluntarily disconnect illegal water connections or else stern action would be taken against them. The drive, he said, would continue as long as all such connections were removed.
To a question, he said there were still more than 30 such hydrants which were flourishing on KWSB water. Similarly, the KWSB during their on-going campaign against defaulters of water and sewerage charges has disconnected 384 water connections in the last three days.
