HYDERABAD: A Supreme Court-appointed water commission on Saturday directed a federal law officer to ensure liaison between the Centre and the Sindh government with regard to the approval of the combined effluent treatment plants (CETPs) for Karachi.

The one-man judicial commission headed by Justice Mohammad Iqbal Kalhoro observed that the additional attorney general should sensitise the federal government to the urgent nature of the matter so that the Executive Committee of National Economic Council (Ecnec) could meet as early as possible.

The commission, which held its proceedings in the Sindh High Court, was informed by Industries Secretary Abdul Raheem Soomro that approval of Ecnec was required for five CETPs for Karachi and this information had also been shared with the Sindh chief minister, who promised to approach the prime minister to resolve this matter.

Mohammad Shakeel and Asadullah Khan, the focal person and deputy managing director of the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board, respectively, informed the commission that the price of a water tanker had been notified and it would be publicised on Nov 12 for information of the people in order to curb overcharging.

Draft rules to regulate hydrants have been sent to the provincial cabinet

They said that the maximum price would be displayed clearly so that every resident knew the exact price for a water tanker.

However, they said that this exercise would be completed within a month.

Local Government Secretary Mohammad Ramzan Awan informed the commission that the draft rules of regulation of hydrants in Karachi had been submitted to the provincial cabinet for final approval.

The commission adjourned the hearing till Dec 2.

Lab needed to test water quality

Tamizuddin Khero, the secretary of the public health engineering department (PHED), submitted a report that a PC-1 for the implementation of the master plan was under preparation in the light of a feasibility report.

Jamal Mustafa Syed, the head of a taskforce, also submitted a report in compliance with the directives of the commission stating that he found the Umerkot ultra-filtration plant functional and people were getting benefit of it during a visit to the site.

He said that the laboratory test could not be reliably done and suggested that the PHED should establish a fully functional laboratory to maintain basic parameters of clean drinking water.

His report was shared with the PHED secretary who undertook that he would take steps to set up a laboratory.

The LG secretary informed the commission that a filter plant in Golarchi would be made functional by Nov 15.

He also sought time to convert a reverse-osmosis plant in Badin into an ultra-filtration plant.

The secretaries of the PHED and LG departments jointly submitted before the commission that an urban water supply scheme in Jati became functional on July 30, but the report regarding quality of water would be submitted on the next date of hearing.

They said that no laboratory was functioning there but efforts were on to set up a lab to analyse water as per the WHO standards.

Jalaluddin Jalalani, the additional health secretary, stated that his department was providing health sterilisation equipment to the Ghulam Mohammad Mahar Medical College Hospital, Sukkur, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre in Karachi, Sindh Government Lyari General Hospital, Karachi. The equipment would be installed within 12 weeks, he added.

He said that three incinerators, out of 17, had been provided to Shikarpur, Naushahro Feroze and Badin district hospitals.

He sought time to submit a report about remaining 14 incinerators on the next date of hearing.

Three Hyderabad filtration plants to be rehabilitated

Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) chief Masood Ahmed Jumani submitted that the Sindh government had approved the schemes of rehabilitation of old water filtration plants — Jamshoro Road, Hala Naka and Paretabad.

He said that a modern treatment plant had been shifted to the Darya Khan pumping station and would be installed shortly.

Education Secretary Dr Iqbal Hussain Durrani stated that he had prepared a plan focusing on issues confronting the education department, which include but are not restricted to providing clean drinking water and sanitation in schools.

He said that he would discuss this plan with the chief minister and share it with the commission after modalities had been worked out and agreed upon.

Published in Dawn, November 12th, 2017