Utility connections on encroached properties cause heavy losses

Installation of water, power and gas connections without verification of property though has caused billions of rupees loss to the government and the general public in the province, especially in Karachi.

Terming this practice the main source of encroachments upon precious government and private lands, the revenue authorities have advised the water, power and gas utilities against installing connections until verification of ownership of property and title documents by the deputy commissioner’s office.

In an official letter, a copy of which is available with The News, Additional Deputy Commissioner East Muhammad Khan Rind on behalf of Deputy Commissioner East asked the management of K-Electric, Water and Sewerage Board and Sui Southern Gas Company not to install connections without verifying the ownership and title documents of property by the revenue authorities (Deputy Commissioner Office) concerned.

ADC Rind quoted a report of field officers that various fake societies, villages, inhabitants encroach upon the government land, water conduit lines, parks and playgrounds.

Apart from the observation and correspondence of revenue officers it was observed by The News that there are so many katchi abadis and housing societies which were registered legally but were now illegal due to violation of basic terms and conditions.

These abadis and housing societies got water, power and gas connections without depositing official fees and are booking plots collecting millions of rupees from the general public.

Due to this practice of civic facilities providers when government functionaries wanted to remove encroachers from the occupied lands they managed to get relief from courts as the connections of the three amenities were in their names.

Additional Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Khan Rind told The News that after receiving reports, he took this step on the directions of Deputy Commissioner East Asif Jan Siddiqui.

Replying to a question, Rind said the problem did not only relate to District East but it was the problem of whole province, especially of the metropolitan and he had observed this practice all over Sindh.