Karachi
The Sindh High Court on Friday directed Karachi Metropolitan Corporation administrator to appear before the court on February 16 and explain as to why action should not be taken against the officers allotting amenity plots for residential purpose.
The direction came on a petition of the Naumania Welfare Trust challenging conversion of two amenity plots in the Gulistan-e-Jauhar area to residential use.
The trust had submitted that two amenity plots, ST 41 and 42, earmarked for the park and playground had been encroached upon by the private respondents in cahoots with the KMC officials and area police.
Petitioner’s counsel Chaudhry Abu Bakar Khalil stated that the land grabbers converted the amenity plots for commercial and residential use and despite of the court’s restraining order, illegal construction were being raised on the amenity plots.
He submitted that the petitioner’s land allocated for establishment of a hospital was also encroached upon for construction of the road in the area.
The division bench, headed by Justice Nadeem Akhtar, observed that the court had directed the Sindh Building Control Authority and the commissioner Karachi to take action against such unlawful construction as well as concerned officers for not protecting the public land from land grabbers and restore the amenity land to its original position.
The court had also directed that a committee should be constituted to identify those responsible for allotting and leasing out amenity plots to a third party and ascertain how much compensation if any should be given to the occupants.
Chaudhry said that despite the court’s order the land in question was neither sealed nor demolished.
KMC counsel, Azra Muqeem submitted that letters were issued to the K-Electric, Sui Southern Gas Company and others to disconnect their respective services so that illegal construction could be sealed, however, they did not respond to the
letters.
The court observed that disconnection of amenities was not necessary for sealing the properties and the KMC did not comply with the court’s directives.
The court directed KMC administrator to appear in person with a comprehensive report.
The hearing in the case was adjourned till February 16.
Water test report sought
The court has directed the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board to submit a detailed report on test of potable water supplied to consumers.
Rana Faizul Hasan, the secretary general of the United Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, had submitted in his petition that consumers were being supplied with contaminated water which was injurious to their health.
He claimed that industrial effluent being discharged near the Kotri Barrage was contaminating the water reservoir at the Keenjhar Lake, a major source of water supply to the city, while the KMC health department lacked proper equipment for checking the contamination level in water being supplied to the city.
He stated that the civic agencies were bound to provide clean and potable water after filtration to the citizens and prayed the court to direct the respondents to ensure supply of clean and hygienic water to the city.
The court observed that the KWSB was directed to file comments regarding supply of clean and unadulterated water, its tests by laboratories and a latest report, but the report submitted was not comprehensive as names of laboratories were not specified.
The court said that the board also did not specify the time period of testing the water samples and latest reports of such tests were not provided. The court directed the KWSB counsel to submit the compliance report within three weeks.