Daily Times

A delegation of Pakistan Steel met Mayor Karachi Barrister Murtaza Wahab here at Chairman’s Secretariat at Karsaz on Thursday and discussed the water supply issues of residential area of the Steel Mill, Steel Town, Gulshan Hadeed Phase 1, 2 and Extension Phase 3.

The Deputy Mayor Salman Abdullah Murad, Chief Operating Officer Water Corporation Engineer Asadullah Khan, MPAs Sajid Jokhio, Raja Razaq Baloch, Chairman Bin Qasim Town Muhammad Asghar Shaheen and CEO Pakistan Steels Asad Islam was also participated in the meeting via online while Syed Mahmood Abbas Rizvi was part of the Pakistan Steel delegation.

On this occasion, the Pakistan Steel Mill administration expressed its desire to hand over its water system to the Water Corporation, while the Water Corporation demanded that the complete water system be handed over to the Pakistan Steel Mill. The Water Corporation officials clarified that if the Pakistan Steel Mill hands over its complete system, including the Zero Point Steel Canal and filter plant, to the Water Corporation, it would ensure water supply in the adjacent areas. In addition, Pakistan Steel Mill should also have to pay its outstanding dues of Rs 11 billion to the Water Corporation as soon as possible because the Water Corporation has to pay its dues to its retired employees.

Pakistan Steel Mill officials said final decision will be taken after approval of the Board of Directors.

According to the Water Corporation spokesperson, until an agreement is reached, the Steel Mill administration would be responsible for supplying water to Gulshan-e-Hadeed Phase 1, Phase 2, Distribution Network Extension Phase 3, Township Steel Town, industrial consumers, and other residential communities and housing societies because the residential areas of Pakistan Steel Mill, Steel Town, Gulshan-e-Hadeed Phase 1, Phase 2, and Extension Phase 3 do not fall under the category of Water Corporation under the new Water Corporation Act 2023.

He said the areas falling within the land of Pakistan Steel Mill are not included in the Water Corporation system under the new Water Corporation Act because there is a constitutional body of Pakistan Steel Mill under which the above areas fall under the category of Pakistan Steel Mill. Water Corporation is providing its bulk water supply system through Karachi- Gajju Canal and uninterrupted water is being supplied to Steel Mill, spokesman added.