Wasa reply sought on water supply pipelines replacement

LAHORE
The Lahore High Court on Wednesday ordered Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) to inform the court by September 15 about replacing old water supply water pipelines and separation of it from sewerage pipelines.
The judge while hearing the petition remarked that provision of clean water is basic human right under the Constitution and no one can be deprived of it. The judge asked the authority to file its report in this regard by September 15.
The judge passed this order while hearing a contempt of court petition of Dr Allah Bakhsh Nadeem, a resident of Lawrence Road.
The petitioner submitted that in summer season, the supply remained stopped for many weeks. He said he had filed an application for installment of a new tube-well and setting up of a new water filtration plant in the area on January 15 to the Wasa authorities. He said finding no development on the application, he had filed a write petition before the LHC which had passed directions to the Wasa to ensure smooth water supply to the area within 10 days. He said despite lapse of more than two months, the authorities were not abiding by the court orders. He said it was tantamount to contempt of court and responsible should be punished for this and directions be issued for installation of new tube-well and a water filtration plant.
Appearing before the court, managing director of Wasa submitted that they had installed a tube-well of two cusecs at Lawrence Road and connected it to a 12-inch wide pipeline of the area by increasing its size from nine inch. He said to further increase the pressure of water, they had also set up two tube-wells of four cusecs each at Patiala Ground and Victoria Park. He said after setting up of these tube-wells, problem of water supply of these areas was resolved. Appearing before the court, a legal adviser of Wasa submitted that house of the petitioner was at very high-level because of which water pressure was low for him.
At this, petitioner’s counsel submitted that a tube-well near Masjid Altamash was closed since long and if that tube-well was made functional, problem of his water supply would be resolved.
After these arguments, the court asked Wasa legal adviser to apprise the court about steps to make that tube-well functional and resolve the water problem of the petitioner.