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Ghani wants security at water pumping stations to stop political interference

By Our Correspondent
June 12, 2019

Sindh’s local government minister has asked Karachi’s water utility to compile a list of its sensitive pumping stations so that the home department may be asked to deploy police and Rangers there to ensure their functioning without any hindrance or political interference.

Saeed Ghani issued this order during a top-level meeting that he chaired at his office on Tuesday to review the problems being faced by the Karachi Water & Sewerage Board (KWSB).

KWSB Managing Director Asadullah Khan and other officials of the water utility informed the LG minister that the staffers of certain pumping stations in the city were facing pressure from people belonging to a political party. They said that the party, under its protest campaign against water shortage in the city, intends to take the KWSB hostage and force the utility to operate according to its will. The statement issued to the media, however, did not reveal the party’s name.

The water board officials informed the LG minister that legislators of the political party in question intend to impose their own schedule for water supply from these pumping stations in total disregard of the official schedule for the purpose.

Owing to such a hostile situation, the functioning of these pumping stations remains compromised, as this has led to an increase in the complaints of the people regarding regular water supply to their residential areas, they added.

Ghani said that the deployment of police and Rangers at such pumping stations will be highly helpful in beefing up their security so that these vital water installations can be fully secured in order for them to continue functioning without any political interference.

He said that the officials of the KWSB should not accept any political pressure and promptly send all complaints to him in case they face undue interference in the water supply system by politically motivated elements. He stressed that efforts should be made with the best of the intentions to ensure water supply to all districts of the city in an equitable manner, as the provincial government does not believe in politicking on the issue of water.

The minister expressed his indignation over the matter of a phenomenal increase in the complaints of the public regarding water supply to almost all residential areas of the city, saying that owing to such a situation, resentment of the water consumers has been increasing with each passing day.

He said that the water board should act in a proactive manner to resolve these complaints of the water consumers, adding that the relevant chief engineers and valve man of the KWSB will be taken to task if the complaints regarding the smooth functioning of the water and sewerage system persisted.

He also asked the officials of the water board to improve the capacity and working of the reverse-osmosis water filtration plants that have been established across the city.