Karachi: Extra-diametrical water pipelines for posh areas?

[Naveed Yaseen]

By Irfan Aligi

KARACHI: Amid various reasons for water scarcity in certain residential sectors of the city, distribution of water connections in violation to approved diameter of pipelines in posh areas comes off as one of the major causes.

A well-placed officer of engineer rank in the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) said that a few KWSB officers of higher rank have misused their position as they has sanctioned water connections for their personal benefits to hundreds of residents of Dhoraji Colony, Delhi Mercantile Cooperative Housing Society, CP Berrar CHS, Al-Hamra CHS, Darul Aman CHS, Bahadurabad and other posh areas in the vicinity of these residential sectors. These residential societies have been supplied water from Kidney Hill Pumping Stations and Dhoraji/Amir Khusro Road Pumping Station.

The officer also said that the situation inflicts colossal loss to the KWSB, as it has never gathered the due revenue from the water consumers of these residential sectors, adding that these consumers have availed water connections that are of twice than the approved diameter of water connection lines.

The officer further said that the KWSB officers had also allowed double water connections to these residents, adding that despite heavy consumption of water, the KWSB does not dispatch any water bills to these consumers because no water metres have been installed in those residential units.

The officer added that the water quota of deserving citizens was being exploited, while it was also adding to the KWSB’s financial problems.

One of the KWSB directors told Daily Times that it was not the KWSB’s policy to install water metres in residential units, however, it did have a policy to collect water tax as per the measurement of residential units in square yards, adding that installation of water metres would also create problems because as per the ongoing practices, the consumers would not pay the water bills if the water was inappropriate or unavailable in the water lines.

The director also said that many of the shopkeepers and residents in these areas have always denied payment of water taxes and dues, adding that around 60 percent of the residents pay only water bills.

The director confirmed that water connections with extra diametrical lines in violation to approved diameter lines have been given to these localities and thus the KWSB only recovers water taxes as per the area of a residential unit and not by the quantity of water consumed.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp...009_pg12_6