Special bench sought in water and sanitation case

The Supreme Court on Thursday referred the matter with regard to provision of clean drinking water and safe environment to Sindh’s citizens to the Chief Justice of Pakistan to have a special bench constituted to hear the case.

During the hearing of the petition, the court observed that people were being supplied with contaminated water and that the 90 percent of water being supplied was unfit for consumption.

The court also rejected the report submitted to it on the ongoing projects of the North Sindh Urban Services Corporation - a company financed by the Asian Development Bank to look over water supply and waste management of eight cities of Sindh - and directed the provincial law officer to submit details of works being carried out by the NSUSC.

The court also dismissed an application for urgent hearing, filed by builders and developers who sought a review of the court’s decision regarding ban on further construction of high-rises till new sources of water are added to the existing water supply system.

The private builders and developers had filed the application to have the SC review the order passed, on March 16, as per the observations of a judicial commission constituted over the matter.