HYDERABAD: Retired Justice Amir Hani Muslim, who heads the Supreme Court-mandated judicial commission on water quality and sanitation in Sindh, visited a water supply scheme, drainage facilities and an ultra filtration plant in Mehar taluka of Dadu district on Saturday.

After inspecting the site and installations, he directed nine contractors of a drainage scheme to appear before it on Nov 20. An executive engineer of the Public Health Engineering (PHE) department was also directed to appear before it.

Justice Muslim was given a briefing about the ultra filtration plant by the officials concerned. He was informed that the 1.6MGD (million gallons a day) plant had become functional but there were serious complaints with regard to the source of water supply.

The source that feeds the reservoir needs rehabilitation. It emanates from Dadu Canal. Electricity to it is supplied for only four hours a day with the result that the motor installed there doesn’t pump adequate water into the reservoir.

The judge directed the executive engineer concerned to submit an application with the Sukkur Electric Supply Company (Sepco) for a connection from the express feeder. He ordered Sepco to issue the challan within 10 days [from the application date] and provide the connection through the express feeder. The backwash pipe be connected with the discharge pipe as, on account of this small drain sump, seepage has caused damage and this is affecting [the nearby] graveyard. The contractor [concerned] shall complete it within the next two days so that accumulation of water in graveyard is avoided.

The executive engineer informed the judge that contract of the same was awarded to nine different parties. The judge directed that identical work should not be awarded to many contractors. The executive engineer was directed to appear before the commission on Nov 20. The Dadu deputy commissioner was directed to depute an assistant commissioner to inspect the site, examine the ongoing work and submit a detailed report regarding drainage system by that date.

The director of Project Management Unit (PMU) was directed to interact with the DC and AC for formulating a policy for the improvement of the reservoir. This shall be done by Nov 28.

A member of the Mehar municipal committee, Abdul Sattar Channa, complained about encroachment of the drainage line. He was told to file a proper application to the DC for their removal.

Published in Dawn, November 18th, 2018