July 22, 2008	Tuesday	Rajab 18, 1429

KARACHI, July 21: The Karachi Water and Sewerage Board in its campaign against illegal hydrants removed water connections of 11 private hydrants and one service station in the Manghopir area on Monday.

All the hydrants, including Mashaallah hydrant, Bhatti hydrant, Raees Mianwali hydrant, Ismail hydrant, Sagar hydrant and Rehman hydrant, and a service station were hooked to the main line through one to two illegal connections of one-and-a-half- to three-inch-diameter pipes, thus creating a water shortage in the nearby localities.

The KWSB already had lodged FIRs against two of the hydrants on charges of stealing water while a similar action was being taken against other hydrants and the service station, which had been found stealing water from the utility’s pipelines, said a spokesman for the water board.

The drive launched in collaboration with Rangers’ 41 Wing and Manghopir police was supervised by the KWSB water tanker service coordinator Misbahuddin Fareed, chief engineer (Bulk Supply) Farrukh Naeem, superintending engineer Iftikhar Ahmed (Bulk) and XEN (Water Trunk Main) Riaz, he said, adding that a campaign against illegal hydrants would continue.

Sources in the KWSB said that about 150 hydrants were operating illegally in the city. Most of them were thriving on piped water as they had got illegal water connections from the utility’s pipelines allegedly in connivance with the officials of the KWSB bulk and water trunk main departments.

Many illegal hydrants, the sources said, were located in Landhi, Korangi, Orangi, Baldia, SITE, Malir, KDA Scheme-33, Super Highway and Garden East.

Temporary set-up

Meanwhile, a hydrant set up on a temporary basis in a cricket ground two months ago as an alternative to Muslimabad hydrant, which was closed on a directive of the Sindh High Court, continues to function as the water board officials seemed least interested in dismantling it.

A portion of the China Ground near Kashmir Road was selected for setting up a hydrant on a temporary basis when residents of Manzoor Colony, Akhtar Colony and Manzoor Colony, who used to get water through tankers from Muslimabad hydrant, took to the streets over the non-availability of water a couple of months ago.

The arrangement was made to meet the immediate water requirement of the area residents by encroaching on the cricket ground since Karachi Water and Sewerage Board officials had failed to set up a hydrant in the vicinity of the water-starved localities. Officials had promised that the hydrant would be dismantled in a couple of months as it was functioning purely on a temporary basis. However, they seemed least interested in dismantling it reportedly due to their vested interest.

It is feared that the China Ground hydrant, located near Ayesha Aziz Road, might become a permanent source of water distribution as the number of tankers drawing water from it has increased drastically over the past few weeks. The frequent movement of tankers with leaking nozzles in the area was causing extensive damage to Dadabhoy Nauroji Road (from People’s Party Secretariat roundabout to Ayesha Aziz Park), a portion of Shahrah-i-Quaideen, the Society Office roundabout and recently reconstructed Kashmir Road.

Suspecting some foul play in setting up a hydrant in the cricket ground, area people alleged that it seemed that some conspiracy had been hatched to occupy the prized land on a permanent basis. In this regard, they pointed out that some construction work was already under way on another portion of the ground.

KWSB Managing Director Sulaiman Chandio, meanwhile, paid a surprise visit to Clifton, Jamila and Behar Colony’s Kennedy sewerage pumping stations to ensure their proper functioning during the rainy season.

Accompanied by Chief Engineer (Electrical and Mechanical) Gulzar Memon and Superintending Engineer Asadullah, Mr Chandio directed the officials concerned to ensure round-the-clock functioning of stations during the season so that drains might not get blocked.