‘Sewerage lines, anti-encroachment operations not responsibility of DMC’

District Municipal Corporation (DMC) Central Chairman Rehan Hashmi demanded on Wednesday that Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) return Rs120 million spent on repair works on sewerage lines in the district.

He said the biggest issue for District Central is overflowing of sewerage lines, which falls under the jurisdiction of the KWSB to rectify but was done by the DMC Central. Hashmi said this while addressing a press conference at Karachi Press Club (KPC).

He said 70 per cent of the problems were because of sewerage lines as a result of which roads were in a dilapidated condition. He also demanded of the Sindh government to increase the Octroi Zila Tax allocated to the district for the past 20 years.

Responding to a question regarding encroachments at parks in District Central, Hashmi said it was the responsibility of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation as opposed to the DMC. He shared that several complaints had been made to the mayor in this regard but no action was taken.

When asked whether this meant that he did not have confidence in the mayor, Hashmi said he had not lost trust in Wasim Akhtar. He lamented that KWSB valvemen and other lower staff were behind these issues.

He added that there was wastage of up to 100,000 gallons of water in the district daily. The chairman also said he would send a report to the water commission, stating that such problems were multiplying by the day.

Hashmi said encroachments on roads and footpaths were the responsibility of the KMC anti-encroachment department. He also admitted that parks were being used for commercial purposes in District Central and said it was because of past agreements.

He said that as far as the salaries were concerned, the DMC Central had to pay a total of Rs1.06billion. He added that if the KWSB paid the amount demanded, it would be utilised in the payment of outstanding salaries. DMC Central staff lodged a token protest at KPC against the KWSB’s indifferent attitude.

One member of the District Central expressed annoyance when asked about the differences between the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan’s PIB Colony and Bahadrabad factions and yelled at the reporter who asked the question.