ISLAMABAD: Following the directions of the Islamabad High Court (IHC), the Capital Development Authority (CDA) has decided to launch a campaign

for removing illegally installed water pumps and motors from water supply lines and compressors on gas supply lines.

The IHC had directed for a committee to be constituted, which will be headed by CDA Member Administration Mohammad Yasir Pirzada, to remove water pumps which have been illegally installed on water supply lines and illegal compressors from gas lines.

The committee was also to remove illegal water connections.

“The other CDA members and officials of the Sui Northern Gas Pipe Lines (SNGPL) and the Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) are also part of the committee,” Mr Pirzada told Dawn.

IHC has also directed the civic agency to remove illegal water connections

He said the first meeting of the committee will be held on Wednesday to decide on the mechanism for taking action against violators.

He said that the IHC had observed that residents of various government and private residences across the capital city have illegally installed motor pumps on the main water supply lines due to which other citizens have to face water shortage and that strict action should be taken in this regard.

A CDA press release says that senior officials of relevant formations appeared before the court in the said case on the last hearing and that the court had expressed displeasure because the estate officer had not come to the hearing.

The court directed the CDA to also include other members of the board so that the operation against illegal connections can be completed successfully with mutual and effective cooperation of the planning, engineering, estate and administration wings.

The court also directed the Wapda chief executive and SNGPL managing director to nominate officers of XEN, general manager levels to make the campaign more successful.

The Metropolitan Corporation of Islamabad (MCI) has also decided to implement the IHC’s order with immediate effect.

According to the MCI/CDA, illegal connections and installation of motors and water pumps on the main supply line are depriving other residents from water and are creating a water shortage in the city.

The CDA has decided to constitute special teams to conduct a comprehensive operation and will also devise effective monitoring mechanisms so the practice is discouraged in the future.

The CDA will take strict action against the elements involved in the installation of water pumps and motors on the water supply line under municipal by-laws and will initiate legal action against such elements.

Published in Dawn, July 26th, 2017