Half of Manora cantonment’s sewage being let into sea, commission told

Half of the Manora cantonment’s sewage is going directly into the sea and the remaining is used for gardening and other purposes after recycling.

This was brought to the notice of the judicial commission on water and sanitation by the chief executive officer of the Malir Cantonment Board on Thursday.

The commission, headed by Justice Mohammad Iqbal Kalhoro, is looking into reasons why the people are not being provided with clean drinking water and a healthy environment in Sindh.

Manoar Cantonment Board CEO Syeda Imamah Ali submitted that the cantonment board took water from an outside source through a contractor and a water filter plant established by the board.

She stated that half the sewage was being brought into cesspools where after recycling it was utilised for several purposes, including gardening, and remaining was directly falling into the sea. 

She said that board was however planning to establish a treatment plant to treat the sewage before letting it into the sea. She said people were being provided with filtered drinking water, but she admitted that water was not being chlorinated in the facility.

The representatives of Karachi, Clifton, Korangi and Faisal cantonments boards filed their statements with regard to procedure being adopted by the boards for approving high-rise buildings.

They submitted that cantonment boards approved building plans only after the requisite NOCs were issued by the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board. They also submitted copies of some NOCs issued by the KWSB.

The KWSB managing director however raised an objection to the NOCs submitted by the cantonment boards, saying that they were not NOCs but a check list. He sought time to file comments on the statements submitted by the cantonment boards.

Representatives of the Defence Housing Authority said that none of the waterfront high-rise buildings had been occupied and would not be allowed to be used unless the community/municipal services had been provided. He also undertook before the commission that occupancy of any such building would not be allowed till the municipal/utility services were there.

The local government secretary filed statements along with annexures regarding extension/improvement of an urban drainage scheme in Jacobabad and overstaffing and appointments of sanitary workers.  The commission directed the local government secretary to submit a report on solid waste management solutions in four districts of Karachi after consulting with his high-ups about an immediate working plan to get rid of solid waste.