KARACHI: The Sindh High Court has directed the federal and provincial governments to file proposals about formation of a high-powered board comprising all civic bodies in the metropolis in order to regulate water, sewerage and other basic amenities.

A two-judge bench comprising Justice Salahuddin Panhwar and Justice Amjad Ali Sahito gave such directives while hearing a set of identical petitions filed against an additional levy on water and inadequate facility of potable water in the DHA and Clifton areas.

The bench said that issues of basic amenities in Karachi division were governed by different provincial and federal organisations. “It has come on record that all such bodies are not under one umbrella and thus, there are overlapping and conflicting policies,” it added.

At the outset of the hearing, the counsel for petitioners emphasised on the shortage of water in DHA.

Multiple organisations responsible for basic amenities in Karachi are not working under one umbrella, bench observes.

The bench in its order noted that there were overlapping and conflicting polices since various bodies were managing the issues of basic amenities in the city.

It also said that cantonment boards had their own by-laws, whereas other entities had their separate rules and regulations.

The bench questioned under these circumstances how issues of sewerage, water, electricity, gas and plantation could be regulated.

“Judicial proprietary demands to direct federal and provincial government[s] to submit proposal[s] with regard to formation of a high-level board comprising of all entities relating to approval of schemes in public and private sector as well as basic amenities schemes and responsibilities to lessen miseries of common citizen,” the bench stated in its order.

A lawyer for the Cantonment Board Clifton sought time to file a compliance report in the light of a previous order of the court through which it sought an explanation as to why the five million gallons per day of water being supplied to the CBC for its residents was being sold by tankers to the same residents who were paying taxes for such services.

The bench accepted his request and adjourned the hearing to a date to be later fixed by its office after four weeks.

Earlier, the SHC had observed that concrete steps were required to be taken by the CBC, the Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation and other civic bodies, including increasing water supply from the main source, improving infrastructure and eliminating water theft.

The court also wanted them to take steps to stop leakages from the main supply line to ensure supply of piped water to DHA residents.

Last year, the SHC had asked all stakeholders to sit together and found a solution to the water problem.

In October 2023, the stakeholders held a meeting in compliance with the SHC’s order. Later, a report filed before the bench stated that the water utility had suggested to the CBC to lay a dedicated pipeline from Damloti in order to permanently address the issue of water shortage in DHA and Clifton.

In December, caretaker chief minister retired Justice Maqbool Baqar had approved Rs2.1 billion for laying a 24-inch diameter dedicated pipeline from Dumlottee to the salubrious parts of the city.

Published in Dawn, September 14th, 2024