Industrialists to meet DG Rangers, CM on water issues

KARACHI: In order to resolve water scarcity and water theft of industries in Karachi, industrialists have decided to meet army, rangers and political leaders.
In a high level meeting on Thursday, Chief Executive Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) SM Muneer decided that a delegation would soon meet with Corps Commander Karachi, DG Rangers, Chief Minister Sindh and Governor Sindh to sort out the issue of water theft at the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) lines.
He said the supply of water to industrial zones has been reduced significantly and as a result the exports have also lowered by six percent, but Sindh government has not taken any action so far.
Participants of meeting protested on the acute shortage of water and demanded that government should stop backing tanker mafia.
The installation of desalinization plant, Reverse Osmosis (RO) plant and completion of K3-K4 projects should be fastened for restoring of water to industrial area, otherwise the industrial association would be compelled to take extreme action, they said.
President FPCCI Mian Mohammed Adrees said Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) strongly protests the unavailability of water in the industrial sectors and if the shortage exists then it should be brought to the knowledge of business community so that they can resolve the problem on self help basis.
Chairman Pakistan Towels Manufacturers Association Mehtabuddin Chawla said government of Sindh has turned a deaf ear to the submissions of industrialists and in spite of their best efforts the government is not taking the matter seriously.
Chairman Federal B Area Jawed Ali Ghori said that the city which provided jobs to millions of people coming from entire Pakistan has been deprived of water and if the problem is not taken seriously then many industries will become closed and millions of workers will lose their job. He said Karachi is getting 550 MGD against the demand of 1,000 MGD while more than 100 MGD out of 550 MGD is being stolen.
President Korangi Association of Trade & Industry (KATI) Rashid Ahmed Siddiqui said all seven associations have provided a charter of demands on the issues of water scarcity, insufficient infrastructure and depleted condition of roads, but government has not paid any attention to those issues.
Representatives and office bearers of all seven industrial associations of the city and business community participated in the meeting.