Judicial body seeks water sample reports within 10 days

The judicial commission probing into the non-provision of clean drinking water, sanitation facilities and a healthy environment to the people of Sindh directed the chairman of the Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources on Monday to conduct microbiological and chemical tests of water samples including surface and subsoil water in different areas of the province and submit a report within 10 days.

Officials on behalf of the chief secretary, the Clifton Cantonment Board, the Pakistan Railways, the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board, the SITE managing director, the Water and Sanitation Authority director general, the Hyderabad Municipal Corporation, the Karachi Port Trust, and the Sindh Environmental Protection Authority filed their concise statements before the commission.

The copies of the statements were also provided to the additional attorney general and additional advocate-general to go through them and file their replies.

The judicial commission headed by Justice Mohammad Iqbal Kalhoro appointed Suleman Chandio, a retired special secretary of the local government department, to assist the court on the issues relating to the supply of water, the poor sanitation conditions and its impact on the environment in the province.

Earlier, Dr Idrees Rajput, who was appointed as amicus curiae - an impartial adviser to a court - informed the court that he was not an expert in the issues being dealt with by the commission.

He proposed the name of Chandio for his appointment as the amicus curiae Therefore, the commission dispensed with the services of Dr Rajput.

Senior research officer, Dr Ghulam Murtaza, who is also assisting the court as amicus curiae, said in compliance with the commission’s January 3 orders, the Pakistan Council of Research and Water Resources had collected water samples from five cities, including Hyderabad, Tando Muhammad Khan, Badin, Sukkur and Karachi.

He added that the water samples from the remaining districts will be collected by January 11.

He requested the commission to allow him at least 10 day time to test the samples and submit a report.

The commission allowed Dr Murtaza 10 days’ time and directed him to submit a report on the water samples by January 23.

The commission reissued notices to the Korangi Creek Cantonment Board’s chief executive officer and director general of the Civil Aviation Authority to appear on January 12 along with their reports.

It also issued notices to the presidents of the SITE Association of Korangi, Landhi, North Karachi and Federal B Area telling them to appear on the same date. The commission then adjourned the proceedings till January 10.