KARACHI: The Sindh High Court on Friday directed the home secretary, managing director of the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board and others to file their comments on a petition seeking closure of a hydrant in Lyari.

The petition was filed by Ali Dad, a resident of Muhammadi Colony, who moved court against the water utility and others for their failure to supply potable water to the residents of the locality.

A two-judge bench headed by Justice Nadeem Akhtar also issued notice to the provincial government’s law officer and put off the hearing to a date to be later pronounced by the court’s office.

The petitioner alleged that the KWSB had allowed the private respondents to construct and operate a hydrant and lay down infrastructure in the area to supply water.

The hydrant, he said, was stealing water from the main supply lines of the area, depriving the residents of the locality of their share of water.

The petitioner stated that there had been regular water supply in the locality before the construction of the hydrant, though it had remained scant for a long time, still it met daily needs of the residents. He said the water supply through the KWSB lines abruptly stopped when the hydrant became functional.

The petitioner said that when inquired he was told to get water from the hydrant.

He said the owner of the hydrant demanded Rs5,000 fee for a fresh connection.

The petitioner said the residents had approached the chairman of the area union committee to have their problem solved, but he did not take any step for it.

He said the residents, deprived of their basic necessity of life, took up the matter with top officers of the water utility but they refused to entertain their complaint.

Besides, the petitioner said, the residents had also written to the deputy commissioner and assistant commissioner concerned, but the two officials also did not respond to their complaint.

He asked the court to declare that the hydrant had been constructed unlawfully, illegally and in violation of the civic laws.

The petitioner further asked the court to order the authorities concerned to immediately dismantle the hydrant.

Meanwhile, the same bench directed the owner of a hydrant in the Garden area, who petitioned the court against the closure of his unit, to satisfy it about maintainability of his petition.

The hydrant owner, Shehzad Khan, submitted that he and his partners had acquired the Garden hydrant through auction in 2010 after fulfilling all formalities and paying the fee.

However, he said, the KWSB unlawfully forced closure of his hydrant on Sept 20, 2016 without any plausible reason.

The petitioner asked the court to declare the KWSB’s action of closing down his hydrant as illegal.

He further asked the court to direct the water utility to allow him to run the hydrant.

Published in Dawn, November 12th, 2016