KHAIRPUR: Retired Justice Amir Hani Muslim, chairman of the one-man Supreme Court-appointed commission on water quality in Sindh, visited water supply installations here on Thursday and expres­sed anger over finding water ponds unclean and covered in filth.

Accompanied by Khairpur deputy commissioner, two magistrates and officials concerned, Justice Muslim inspected the water supply installations near Khaki Shah bridge and directed the magistrates to get the ponds cleaned under their supervision within a fortnight.

He directed the DC and the magistrates to oversee functioning of water supply and drainage to ensure provision of clean drinking water to citizens and rid the town of garbage and sewage littering the streets.

Justice Muslim collected information from Khairpur taluka municipal officer about funds for water supply, staff, machinery, garbage dumping points and “occupation” of municipal assets by a private company.

The municipal officials told the judge that the storerooms set up by North Sindh Urban Services Cor­poration before it discontinued its services in the district had now been “occupied” by the private company.

Justice Muslim asked registrar of Sindh High Court to send a notice to the company through SSP concerned, directing it to hand over the stores and machinery to the town’s municipal committee.

He also inspected water testing laboratory and warned the municipal officials that he would visit again after a fortnight to check if the water ponds had been properly cleaned and take strict action against anyone found negligent in his duties.

He said the objective of his visit of Khairpur, Faiz Ganj and Thari Mirwah talukas was to ensure provision of clean drinking water to the areas’ residents and inspect condition of water supply ponds.

He asked about the garbage collection system and was informed that the garbage collected from the town was dumped in Shadi Shaheed area, 17 kilometres from the town.

He directed the magistrates Bahadur Ali and Syed Anwar Ali Shah to pay surprise visits to the talukas, inspect water supply and drainage installations and submit a report to the commission.

Published in Dawn, February 9th, 2018