HYDERABAD: The Hyderabad circuit bench of the Sindh High Court on Thursday ordered appointment within two days of a fully-fledged director general of the Hyderabad Development Authority (HDA).

A division bench passed the order while hearing a petition filed last year by advocate Sajjad Ahmed Chandio regarding Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa). The court further directed to place the notification for the appointment on record through additional registrar of SHC.

In the same case, the court had earlier appointed Saleemuddin as fully-fledged managing director of Wasa on July 18 and ordered chief secretary of Sindh to appoint MD of HDA as well.

On Thursday, the court ordered that DG of HDA place on record master plan of Hyderabad, if any, on the next date of hearing at 11am on Aug 8 while MD of Wasa was to submit compliance report regarding restoration of water supply to the petitioner.

A statement was submitted to the court by deputy secretary (legal) of finance department Shakeel Ahmed, mentioning that Rs4,166,306,830 were re-released as grant-in-aid on account of electricity bills, bailout package, repair and maintenance and clearance of outstanding salary between 2010-11 and 2019-20. Another amount of Rs150 million as grant-in-aid was released for 2019-20, said the statement.

HDA’s counsel also filed a brief history of funds released to the authority under different heads. Reports were also filed in the court which included decisions of Supreme Court-appointed judicial commission on water and sanitation.

When the judges asked about attendance of acting DG, his counsel Irfan Bughio informed the court that he was not a party in the case and no notice was issued to him to appear in person as he was holding additional charge of DG of HDA.

Sindh AAG Allah Bachayo Soomro submitted a report on behalf of Hyderabad Commissioner Abbas Baloch and said that detailed report on Wasa along with findings and recommendations had been submitted to SC-appointed judicial commission on water and drainage at Sindh High Court Karachi and its recommendations were being placed on record of this court.

The commission recommended, said MD of Wasa, for ensuring completion of work on all filtration plants within scheduled time limit and finding new sources for water supply from Indus, constructing new plants and laying primary, secondary and tertiary lines to new areas to supply 100pc filtered water to Hyderabad’s population.

It said that even if all filtration plants were made fully operational filtered water could not be supplied to every individual in the city. Secretary of finance might be persuaded to finalise the process of deduction at source of water and sewerage charges of provincial government departments in Hyderabad and make its payments to Wasa.

It said that strength of daily-wage workers should be rationalised to ensure increase in their salaries. Vacant position of grade-16 and above must be filled through Sindh Public Service Commission.

Published in Dawn, August 2nd, 2019