KARACHI, Aug 1: A builder is learnt to have uprooted a 10-inch-dia pipeline stretching around 600 feet in Gharibabad, depriving over 30,000 population of water in more than 20 goths and different parts of Malir. Due to removal of the pipeline, water supply to a number of goths including Kunga Goth, Kazi Brohi Goth, Pir Mehfooz Goth, Mai Nagar, Sher Mohammad Goth, Saddar Goth, Bakra Pirri and their adjoining localities was suspended about a week back.

Officials of Karachi Water and Sewerage Board who were perturbed over receiving a large number of complaints of non-availability of water from various areas of Malir on Monday succeeded in locating a plot in Gharibabad from where a builder, Aftab, had removed the 10-inch-dia pipeline.

According to KWSB chief engineer Asudomal, a KWSB team led by the executive engineer raided the plot and was taken a back when it came to know that a builder had got the work of removing the pipeline through labourers after raising boundary wall around the plot. He said that when the builder, who identified himself as Aftab, claimed that he had purchased the plot from someone and had assigned the work of removing the pipeline to some labourers as he was told that the pipeline had been lying abandoned since long and it was not being used for water supply any more.

Asked if any FIR had been lodged against the builder for uprooting and damaging the pipeline and depriving thousands of people of water, Mr Asudomal said that he had directed his officials to get an FIR registered against him despite the fact that the builder had assured KWSB officials that he would bar the expenses to be incurred on getting the work of re-laying the pipeline.

The KWSB official said that the board would restore the water supply of all the affected goths and other adjoining areas of Malir in a couple of days after getting the pipeline’s work completed as soon as possible.