WSSP returns employees, assets to PDA

Row over sanitation services

PESHAWAR: The Water and Sanitation Services Peshawar (WSSP) has handed over the water supply and sanitation services of Hayatabad and University Town back to the Peshawar Development Authority (PDA) and Town-III administration temporarily overcoming the tension between the government bodies.

The company also repatriated over 600 deputation employees of PDA and Town-III administration along with the assets and equipment of the concerned bodies.The decision was made in light of the chief minister’s directives and subsequent notifications by the Local Government and Rural Development Department and PDA, spokesman for the WSSP told The News.

The provincial cabinet in a meeting on May 17 had asked the WSSP to hand over the water supply and sanitation services of Hayatabad and University Town to PDA and Town-III administration.

This decision triggered the anger of the WSSP board of directors, who submitted their en bloc resignations with the chief minister in protest. However, the chief minister turned a deaf ear to the issue.

On the other hand, the PDA authorities soon after the cabinet decision approached the WSSP, asking it to repatriate its employees and return its assets in violation of the 20 year agreement it had made with the company.

According to General Manager WSSP Engr Ali Khan, WSSP was a registered body which had formally reached services and assets management agreement with the municipal services bodies of the provincial capital. He said any party scrapping the agreement would give three-month prior notice along with explanation. However, no such notice or explanation was given.

However, the WSSP on Monday formally returned the services, employees and assets to the PDA and town administration. And the zone office at the camp of PDA would be shifted to another location soon, Ali Khan said in a letter to the PDA.