KARACHI: The Supreme Court-mandated judicial commission on water and drainage in Sindh on Wednesday directed the provincial and local authorities to clear the debris from footpaths and roads of the provincial metropolis within 15 days.

The commission, headed by retired Justice Amir Hani Muslim, warned that the heads of Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC), district municipal corporations (DMCs), cantonments and other local authorities would be summoned for explanation if the commission’s order was not implemented within the stipulated time.

The commission also directed the Sindh chief secretary to hold a meeting with the heads of all the agencies concerned and make sure that the debris was removed from the entire city within a fortnight, adding that the deputy commissioners will monitor the drive within their jurisdictions.

Judicial commission on water & drainage summons Hyderabad mayor for today

Earlier, the secretary of the training, management and research wing, Asif Haider Shah who is also a member of the SC-appointed task force, informed the commission that it was the responsibility of the KMC, DMCs, cantonment boards and Pakistan Railways to clear construction material and debris found on roads and footpaths in their respective jurisdictions.

He said if the authorities concerned failed to do so, then the Sindh Solid Waste Management Board (SSWMB) would lift the debris at the cost of the agency concerned.

Police told to provide security to SSWMB chief

The commission directed the authorities concerned to provide protection to the SSWMB managing director Taha Farooqui and contractors.

Mr Farooqui said that he had stopped the salaries of employees found absent from their duties in compliance with the commission’s earlier orders. However, the employees and union leaders allegedly damaged the biometric attendance machines and also extended threats to him and the contactors. He requested the commission to provide him protection.

Retired Justice Muslim observed that it was the responsibility of the state to provide security and protection to those who were complying with the directives of the commission. He added that if the orders were not complied with then it would lead to defeating the objective for which the commission had been constituted.

The commission directed Karachi police chief Mushtaq Mahar to provide protection to Mr Farooqui and the contractors as well as to take action against miscreants.

It also asked Mr Shah to contact police high-ups and ensure that these administrative matters be resolved and protection be provided immediately so they could do their work without any interruption.

Encroachments on drains

The commission directed the task force member to approach the chief secretary for timely removal of encroachments from storm-water drains.

It recalled that the chief secretary made a statement at an earlier hearing that the encroachments would be removed expeditiously.

In compliance with the commission’s earlier orders, the counsel for K-Electric submitted that apart from the encroached portions, they had removed electric cables passing over the drains.

The metropolitan commissioner of the KMC said that at least two to three days were required to plan the de-silting of the drains.

The commission ruled that the subsoil water suppliers who were not regularised could not work in the city.

It gave the ruling after Shakeel Ahmed and others objected to a subsoil water policy asking the commission to modify it.

However, the commission said that a representation could be made to the chief secretary who may decide the matter after hearing the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board managing director.

Hyderabad mayor summoned today

The commission issued notices to the Hyderabad mayor and the director health to appear before it on Thursday (today) and explain their position for not complying with its orders.

Despite the commission’s directives, both officials did not take steps to clean the area identified by the judicial body.

The commission also expressed extreme displeasure over the local management of Hyderabad for not preparing inventories of the workshops despite its orders.

During its recent visit to Hyderabad, the commission directed the city’s mayor to ensure preparation of the inventories. Justice Muslim deplored that it was most surprising that the Hyderabad Municipal Corporation was avoiding preparing inventories.

The commission directed the HMC to prepare the inventories on Wednesday and file a list on Thursday reflecting as to how many vehicles they had in all and how many were not roadworthy besides the revenue components.

All the vehicles owned and in possession of the HMC must be reflected in the proposed inventories.

It also directed the commissioner to verify these inventories and also file a report whether these machines and vehicles were underutilised or not.

All the encroachments made within the workshops shall be removed after completion of the formalities, it added.

Meanwhile, the commission directed the chairman of procurement and technical committee, Prof Saeed Qureshi, to re-examine a tender of mother and child health care centre in Benazirabad district and ensure that the funds of the current fiscal year were fully utilised.

Published in Dawn, May 3rd, 2018