PESHAWAR: The newly-appointed chief executive officer of Water and Sanitation Services Peshawar, Syed Zafar Ali Shah, has given a 10-day deadline to all the zonal managers to identify illegal water connections in 43 union councils of the provincial capital and initiate action against the defaulters.

It has been decided to take action against consumers for failing to pay municipal services bills and arrears under Land Revenue Act and Local Government Act, 2013, according to a statement issued here.

The decisions were taken during a briefing to the WSSP CEO, who assumed charge of office on Tuesday.

General manger operations Engr Ali Khan and zonal managers briefed the CEO about operations, ongoing projects and encroachments on drains due to which the sanitation staff was facing problems.

After the briefing, he directed zonal managers to expedite disconnection drive against illegal water connections. He asked for registration of domestic and commercial buildings availing services of WSSP and ensuring timely collection of bills. He ordered disconnecting connections of consumers who were served notices but failed to register them.

Mr Shah said steps would be taken to make WSSP financially stable within three months and directed the managers to submit monthly reports on revenue collection. He asked them to ensure provision of quality services to consumers.

“Town administrations will be taken into confidence to take action against digging of bore-wells and to control water wastage. There should be zero tolerance for open dumping, littering and illegal water connections,” the CEO said.

On sanitation, the WSSP CEO asked the zonal managers to identify localities that are cleaned daily but still littered with garbage.

He told them to hold meetings with shopkeepers associations, local elders to properly dispose of waste generated from shops and houses and then register FIRs against those found guilty of littering.

It was decided to chalk out a plan in collaboration with PDA and TMAs to control dumping of building material on roadsides.

“Register FIRs against those found guilty of dumping building material, waste on roadsides,” the CEO asked zonal managers.

Published in Dawn, February 13th, 2019