KARACHI: The Sindh High Court was informed on Tuesday that the Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation (KWSC) suggested to the Cantonment Board Clifton (CBC) to lay a dedicated pipeline from Damloti in order to permanently address the issue of water shortage in the Defence Housing Authority (DHA) and Clifton.

However, the CBC was not in favour of the proposal due to financial constraints, the KWSC stated in a compliance report filed before a two-judge bench, headed by acting Chief Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi.

The bench took up for hearing a set of identical petitions filed between 2021 to 2023 against additional levy on water and inadequate facility of clean water in the DHA and Clifton areas.

The SHC was informed that a meeting of the stakeholders was held on Oct 7 in compliance with the court order passed on Oct 3. It was attended by CBC deputy chief executive officer Zameer Hussain, KWSC CEO Salahuddin, petitioners and their lawyers.

CBC opined otherwise at stakeholders meeting, SHC told

The minutes of the meeting submitted before the SHC stated, “The counsel for the petitioners and KWSC were of the opinion that the dedicated pipeline shall be a permanent solution for water supply to the DHA/CBC while the CBC representative thought otherwise on the ground of financial constraints.”

“For a long-term solution of water issues, a dedicated supply line from Damloti (Dur Muhammad Goth) to Ittehad Pumping Station was required for the DHA/CBC area,” it added.

The meeting further suggested that the KWSC must provide six million gallons per day (MGD) water from Chakra Goth and one MGD from other locations to the DHA so that DHA residents could get piped water after every five days, it added.

It also proposed that the issues of distribution and efficiency of water supply network in the CBC service area must be determined by hydraulic and origin-destination surveys.

“The CBC and DHA have to draw their own water & sewerage master plans which must align with the overall water & sewerage master plan of the KWSC. In terms of Section 28(4) of the KW&SC Act of 2023, the CBC and DHA are under an obligation to obtain an NOC [no-objection certificate] of the KWSC before approving any building plans,” it added.

The minutes of the meeting further stated that the CBC and KWSC must have a formal memorandum of understanding (MoU) as mandated under Sections 23(3) & (4), 27 and 29(1) of the KWSC Act.

It also asked the CBC to immediately install digital flow meters at all points where bulk supply of water was being received.

The bench adjourned the hearing till Dec 7, asking the parties concerned to go through these recommendations.

At a previous hearing, the SHC had observed that concrete steps were required to be taken by the CBC, KWSC and others, including increasing supply from the main source, improving infrastructure and eliminating water theft as well as leakages from the main supply line to ensure water supply to DHA residents through pipelines.

Published in Dawn, November 8th, 2023