MITHI: Tharparkar Deputy Commissioner Ghulam Qadir Junejo has called upon government departments concerned and municipal authorities to settle lingering issue of reverse osmosis plants once and for all to ensure they keep supplying water to Tharis.

The officer’s demand came in the wake of warning by Pak Oasis Company, which runs 480 plants to supply clean and safe drinking water to the residents of the arid region, that it would be forced to shut down the plants if the government failed to clear its dues within a week.

The government’s contract with the private firm expired on Saturday but none of the authorities concerned have so far moved into action to ensure the plants keep functioning.

The firm’s officials had informed the government that they could no longer run the plants and would stop their operation within a week if the dues were not cleared.

The officials said the company was finding it difficult to pay salary to hundreds of staff posted at over 480 plants though they were still paying them from other resources on humanitarian grounds.

Tharparkar DC Ghulam Qadir Junejo said at a meeting with executive engineer of public health engineering department (PHED), chief municipal officer, chairman of Islamkot taluka committee, SDO of Hyderabad Electricity Supply Company (Hesco) and representatives of the company a day ago that secretary of PHED and secretary of energy department should settle the issue of RO plants, particularly those of Mithi and Islamkot, and decide once and for all who would take care of them so that they kept supplying water uninterruptedly.

Both the plants were supplying drinking water to inhabitants of the towns on a daily basis during shortage of canal water, he said.

Hesco officials informed the meeting that the two plants owed Hesco Rs38 million dues which remained unpaid since April this year and no government department or institution was ready to take responsibility for the dues. Hesco, therefore, disconnected supply of electricity as per its policy, they said.

The PHED executive engineer said that as per the order of the apex court-mandated commission on quality of water and drainage all water schemes had already been completed and compliance report had been sent to the government for further orders.

The chief municipal officer said that the daily water supply was being worked out jointly with Pak Oasis and municipal committee but the municipal body had no funds available to pay dues.

The company officials said the firm had been maintaining the plants since their installation but it had not been paid maintenance charges of Mithi plant since last two and a half years, those of Islamkot plants since last two years and other plants since a year. The contract had expired on June 30 after which the company would not be responsible for the maintenance of the plants, they said.

The officials of the government and the company warned if the issue was not resolved in time and the plants were allowed to shut down it would worsen conditions in Thar as it would cut off lifeline of people.

Published in Dawn, July 3rd, 2018