KARACHI, Oct 18: Karachi Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal has called for use of modern technology to check water theft and illegal connections, doing away with the existing system of hydrants and initiation of annual development programmes with the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board funds.
Presiding over a meeting at his camp office on Wednesday, the nazim approved plans for laying water lines in Jaffar Tayyar Society and Yusuf Goth bus terminal.
He ordered that work on the line for supply of additional water to Lyari be resumed immediately.
He said the existing system of hydrants should be wound up.
He said hydrants should be constructed at town level to supply water in areas without a supply system. He said the hydrants should be under the control of town nazims, who should be responsible for supply in localities with scarcity of water.
“The nazims should ensure that no water was supplied outside their towns from the hydrants under their control,” Mr Kamal said.
He said the system would help get rid of the tanker mafia. Currently, hundreds of tankers roamed in the city, destroying the roads, he said.
He said all other hydrants should be closed down and a separate system set up for industrial areas.
He pointed out that this would be a temporary system and every house would be provided connection as a permanent solution.
The nazim said all areas, including kutchi abadis, would be given water connections and brought under the tax net.
District Coordination Officer Fazlur Rehman, KWSB Managing Director Brig Iftekhar Hyder and officials of the board attended the meeting.
The nazim stressed the need for undertaking research for better planning and asked the KWSB authorities to allocate funds for the purpose. He said a research cell should be established in the board.
The nazim regretted that illegal connections were obtained from main lines. This also led to wastage of water, he said.—APP/PPI
