TANVEER AHMED

KARACHI: Agreeing with the plea seeking centralization of powers on civic affairs in Karachi under one office, one-man judicial commission (JC) on Monday, however ruled that empowering Mayer Karachi didn’t fall under its domain when it took up the matters related to Solid Waste Management Board (SWMB).

Dr Farough Naseem on behalf of Mayer Karachi pleaded before the commission that the commission should recommend about centralization of powers to deal with the civic issues, but the commission ruled out issuing such recommendations. The judicial commission headed by former Justice Amir Hani Muslim has been holding deliberations over provision of potable water, lifting of solid waste, sewerage and other civic matters.

Mayer Karachi Wasim AKhtar appearing before the commission submitted that if nullahs were cleaned the lifted solid waste would be scattered on roads and said that it purely falls in the jurisdiction of municipal corporation as practiced around the world but in Sindh a SWMB has been established to do this task.

Mayer’s counsel said that KMC has identified the spots where heaps of garbage are lying but the Sindh Government didn’t take the steps to lift it. The commission took strong notice of absence of Director General SWMB and directed that he should appear before the commission whenever the issues concerning SWMB are taken up.

The commission observed that all stakeholders should work in cohesion to bring improvement in the city life. It directed the SWMB chief to summon the meeting in two weeks when petitioner Shahab Osto pleaded that the meeting should be held in two-week time.

On the matter pertaining to K-Electric and the cables laid on the footpath, the commission showed annoyance over it and observed that where in the world cables are laid on footpath in such a fashion. The commission came hard on K-Electric Distribution Officer and accused the utility of destroying the city.

K-Electric’s counsel Abid Zuberi assured the commission that the utility will take notice of cables running on dividers, greenbelts and footpaths and would remove them by starting from Shahrah-e-Faisal to expand its action throughout the city.

On water issues, Managing Director Karachi Water & Sewerage Board (KW&SB) submitted a policy document on subsoil water in the city. Secretary Local Government Sindh assured that house that draft would be finalized soon on it and will be done in two week-time.

On availability of water in the city especially in district West, head of judicial commission described the water provision infrastructure in West the worst system and directed to establish public complaint cell to redress the issues concerning water availability.

“This cell will record the complaints, which would sent these to commission as well as to the department concerned,” Justice Hani stated and added that civic issues are not concerned with only water board but other bodies are also poorly to provide relief to the citizens of the city.

In Monday’s proceedings, common citizens thronged the commission premises and told the commission about the ordeals they have been passing through due to non-availability of water. Affectees particularly criticized KW&SB and accused it of being indulged in water theft.

The commission soothing the enraged citizens assured that it has been working earnestly to provide the water at their doorsteps but the matter would not be resolved over night because decades-long problems would need sometime to be resolved.

The commission also sought the report from lawyer of SITE Association over activation of treatment plants in the industrial units and ordered that every industry should install its own treatment plant.

The KW&SB informed the commission that summary has been submitted with the CM Sindh for installation of meters on pumping stations. The commission would approach Election Commission to relax its rules on this particular case because it imposed restrictions on any development schemes because of fast approaching general elections.