KARACHI: The Sindh High Court has summoned the deputy commissioner-Central and officials of the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board in a petition filed against a water connection to a private hospital in North Nazimabad.

When a two-judge bench headed by Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi took up the matter for hearing, the KWSB submitted a statement stating that the two-inch water connection was sanctioned for Ziauddin Hospital in North Nazimabad under its water connection service charges policy.

The KWSB submitted that it was operating under the policy in which size of the water connection had been specified for hospitals, schools, colleges, government, housing schemes and trusts.

It stated that the private hospital was not the only one facility having a connection sanctioned through the supply line as many others hospitals including the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, SIUT, Aga Khan Hospital, Liaquat National Hospital, Indus Hospital, etc got the said connections sanctioned from main bulk supply line.

The lawyer for the petitioners filed objections on the report of nazir submitting that the KWSB concealed the data of availability of water in 48 inch line, details of areas depending on the water supply.

He submitted that the KWSB was depriving the people of the vicinity from their legal right of water.

The counsel of private hospital sought adjournment to file a statement along with relevant notification on the next date of hearing.

A provincial law officer also requested time to call the DC-Central, who was directed to explain the position with regard to permission of road cutting in court as the previous court order could not be communicated to him.

Earlier, the court nazir in his report stated that the water connection in question was in accordance with the approval of the KWSB.

Some area residents had petitioned the SHC stating that the KWSB through a sanction certificate issued in May had approved an “illegal” two-inch water connection from the main 48-inch line to the Ziauddin Hospital to be utilised for commercial purposes.

They argued that the official respondents in connivance with the management of the private hospital had dug out around 1.5 kilometres of the road from KDA Chowrangi to the hospital creating serious nuisance to residents.

The petitioners stated that they tried approaching the KWSB and DC-Cenral, but instead of listening to them they used police to threaten them.

Published in Dawn, September 25th, 2022