HYDERABAD: Retired Justice Amir Hani Muslim, head of one-man Supreme Court-appointed commission on water quality and drainage in Sindh, on Sunday ordered removal of pushcarts and encroachments outside Sabzi Mandi to clear Hali Road for traffic.

Justice Muslim, who stayed overnight in Hyderabad, paid three back to back visits to different sewerage and water filtration facilities of Wasa and workshops of Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (HMC) on Saturday and Sunday, asked mayor Syed Tayyab Hussain whether he had issued any licence to pushcarts to use the road, which led to traffic chaos.

He called for preparing inventory of pumping machines, pipes, generators which could be put to use to rid the city’s streets and roads of sewage accumulation and ordered workshops’ in-charges to prepare a separate inventory of vehicles and excavators which were in running condition.

After visiting the city last evening, Justice Muslim paid another visit late on Saturday night to Qadamgah Maula Ali where sewage accumulation on the road had become a chronic problem. He also inspected Tulsi Das pumping station.

Expressing dissatisfaction over abandoned machinery in front of Qadamgah on main road, he asked Wasa managing director to shift the machines and save them from getting rusted in the open.

The area residents, including union committee chairman, vice chairman and councillors informed the judge that accumulation of sewage in Sabzi Mandi, Goods Naka, Guru Nagar area was due to design fault of pipeline.

The judge told them that the scheme could be executed in July because Chief Election Commissioner had banned launching of new schemes.

Hyderabad commissioner Dr Saeed Magnejo informed the judge in response to a question that he was scrutinising record of market committee for allotment of shops to traders in the new vegetable and fruit market near Lined Channel.

The judge asked chairman of task force Jamal Mustafa Syed to get assessment of sewerage drain passing through Odean Cinema locality near Razia Sultana school for raising its boundary wall.

During his Sunday’s visit the commission inspected HMC’s workshop near Qadamgah Maula Ali and Hali Road and ordered that HMC and Wasa to submit inventory of vehicles that were in running condition.

He said if the vehicles meant for different kinds of works needed to be repaired the commissioner’s office would get it done from HMC and Wasa funds.

Justice Muslim said that the vehicles should be utilised for de-silting of drains providing relief to people who were facing chronic sewage problems.

Removal of encroachment

Residents of Hali Road surrounded the commission head when he arrived in their area and complained to him about chaotic traffic conditions in morning hours because of overcrowding of pushcarts on the Hali Road outside the vegetable market. It became an upheaval task for them drop children at schools, they said.

Justice Muslim asked Mayor Syed Tayyab Hussain whether he had issued any licences to pushcarts to use the road and cause traffic chaos.

He directed the mayor to approach deputy commissioner for removal of all such encroachments and asked the commissioner to supervise the process and ensure that no losses were caused to anyone during the encroachment drive.

He asked the DC to make sure that no bazaar was organised on the main road outside the vegetable market. “The road should remain clear at all cost,” he said.

HMC workshops

Justice Muslim was surprised to find that several pumping machines, pipes, trolleys, generators and vehicles were available in HMC workshop on Hali road.

The workshop staff told the judge that 26 vehicles were on roads and six needed repairs and pumping machines were used during rain emergency.

He ordered that a list of the vehicles, equipment and machinery should be prepared under supervision of the commissioner to be got repaired for which the mayor would provide manpower. SSP was directed to keep a vigilant eye so that encroachments should not crop up again.

Satisfaction over filtration plants

During a visit to filtration plants on Hala Naka, Justice Muslim expressed satisfaction over ongoing maintenance works. He observed that works of different components lagged behind work plans’ timelines submitted by Wasa and hoped that at present pace of work the timeline would be achieved.

The commission appreciated efforts made by the commissioner as well as Wasa management considering the fact that there was no dearth of funds for the works.

Jamal Mustafa Syed informed the commission that pace of work noted during last visit of the installations had indeed shown improvement at Hala Naka and Paretabad filtration plants where clarifiers and other components were ready though some still lagged behind the schedule.

Police accused of stealing water

The commission directed SSP Pir Mohammad Shah to ensure removal of illegal pipes inserted by Police Training Centre (PTC) Ganju Takkar in water supply lines after MD Wasa Masood Jumani informed the judge that the centre stole water from Wasa’s main lines.

He said that police also prevented Wasa’s staff from visiting their sites by erecting barriers.

The MD made such statement when two residents of Kohsar area complained that a huge population was not getting drinking water in Kohsar area while water was being stolen from their main lines and some residents had even inserted direct pipes to get water.

The commission ordered that SSP should see to it and ensure that access was provided to Wasa staff. MD was directed to visit the area personally and coordinate with the commissioner.

Published in Dawn, April 30th, 2018