KARACHI: The Sindh High Court on Friday issued notices to the provincial authorities, the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board, K-Electric and others on a petition filed against acute water shortages in the metropolis.

A two-judge bench headed by Justice Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi also put the advocate general of Sindh on notice and directed the official respondents to file their replies/para-wise comments till the next date of hearing.

A regular litigant approached the SHC stating that Karachi, which was already faced with acute water scarcity, was now witnessing a crisis after the 72-inch diameter pipelines of KWSB had burst at the Dhabeji pumping station last week.

Citing the chief secretary, secretary of energy department, chairman & managing director of KWSB and KE as respondents, the petitioner argued that pipelines had burst due to sudden breakdown of power supply to the pumping station.

He contended that the city was facing a shortfall of 125 million gallons daily (MGD) that caused a water crisis in the city and making lives of citizens miserable.

He submitted that the KE had plunged the city into darkness and there was nobody to hold it accountable.

He said as to why the KE had suddenly shut the supply to pumping station despite an agreement between KE and the Sindh government and its institutions regarding payment of bills.

However, the petitioner submitted that even if there was any issue of non-payment between the KE and the KWSB, the same must not be used as a pretext for depriving citizens of water and asked the court to take action against them.

Published in Dawn, September 3rd, 2022