Daily Times

KARACHI: A contract of Rs 362 million for installation of chlorinators at six different water filtration plants of Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) has been awarded in sheer violation of Sindh Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (SPPRA) by laws, officials of KWSB and representatives of bidding companies have revealed.

The awarding contract is more than Rs 47 million to the lowest bids besides the contract awarding company, Umair and Associates has also no such work experience in this field, they have claimed.

“This tender after called off twice has now been awarded on the recommendation of Sindh Minister for Local Government Department”, a KWSB official on condition of anonymity has informed.

Eligibility for such tender describes valid registration with Pakistan Engineer Council (PEC) in category of C-3 with field of specialisation in categories CE-09, CE-10, EE-04 and ME-06 besides firm/contractor should be registered with Sindh Board of Revenue in terms of rule-46(i) (iii) of SPPRA rules.

The winning company has no such work experience and has no any certificate confirming its ability and eligibility for work from PEC.

Representatives of Indusman, Malik Hanan and Company and Saif Engineering have alleged they had been disqualified though their bids were lowest and they have also possessed such work experience.

The job is meant to provide/fixing of chlorinators and allied works with accessories at six different filter plants under 3-stage work plan for rehabilitation of existing water filter plants of KWSB situated at COD, NEK K-II, NEK old, Pipri, Gharo and Hub.

In the last four years KWSB has spent Rs 345 million in the name of such job of chlorinating without any check.

In six months of fiscal 2018, KWSB has spent Rs 182 million on same subject while not a single penny has been spent in 2016-17.

The claim of KWSB to complete these tasks set under short term plan (1-3 month), medium plan (9 months) and long term (1-2 years) making disinfection facilities functional, procure and install chlorination has so far been proved zero.

The chlorinators, laboratory equipment desalting and rehabilitation of clarifiers, pulsators, desilting and rehabilitation of recovery system, rehabilitation of existing alum and other chemical dosing facility, back washing system, filter beds by changing filter media, pipe works including valves compressor and blowers and electrical works have been in dilapidated condition at almost three functional filter plants.

The citizens of Karachi are being supplied around 91 percent out of total supply of 420 million gallons of water per day (MGD) without any treatment through KWSB water trunk mains for last ten years.

The water laboratory scientists of Pakistan Standard and Quality Control Authority and water officials of entity have revealed.

This dismal situation is the outcome of poor performance of water engineers of KWSB and lethargic attitude of KWSB high ups for not making functional such closed plants for last ten years, officials of these entities have maintained.

The current existing working filtration capacity available is 50 MGD from Pipri Filter Plant, 100 MGD from North East Karachi (NEK) K-II Filter Plant and 80 MGD from Hub Filter Plant, they asserted.

The four filter plants-Gharo, Hills, Pipri old and NEK old with total capacity of 210 MGD filtration remained non-functional due to lack of maintenance facilities, official KWSB added.

Published in Daily Times, December 29^th 2017.