Daily Times

The commercial construction activity in Karachi has been slackening since months due to a delay in decision making by different government quarters and civic entities.

Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB), in defiance of Supreme Court’s (SC) directives for restoration of new water connections, has not yet lifted ban on water connections, revealed board members of No Objection Committee (NOC).

SC had imposed a ban on new water connections and construction of high rise buildings on March 16, 2017. In January 2018 the ban was lifted by SC after reviewing appeals from different public quarters.

A ‘No Objection’ committee (NOC) was formed on May 9, 2018 to assist Managing Director of KWSB in scrutiny of applications for sanctioning new water connection. The committee was to complete the process in accordance with water connection policy, determine applicant’s feasibility, handle the required documentation and maintain record regarding new water connections.

The committee was also handed the responsibility of unearthing illegal water connections on authentic information and carrying out disconnection in interest of equitable water supply to legitimate consumers. This responsibility of committee members was in addition to their official obligations.

Reportedly, a committee was formed by interim Sindh chief minister (CM). This committee, which was presided over by the Sindh local government secretary, consisted of Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) Director General Iftikhar Qiamkhani and KWSB Managing Director Khalid Mahmood Sheikh.

The committee was responsible for giving a legal status to new water connections.

According to details, the committee submitted a report on the matter 10 days back to Sindh Advocate General but received no reply yet.

KWSB Planning department’s Deputy Managing Director (DMD) Ayub Sheikh who was also serving as the head of a newly formed committee of KWSB responsible for handling new water connection cases said that no meeting of the committee had been convened so far because the officials were busy with their official obligations.

He maintained that committee had not decided on any formula for issuing of NOC and new water connections. “Obtaining NOC for building plan has been made mandatory from KWSB and civic bodies,” he informed.

He told Daily Times that one window operation should be put in order to resolve public grievances in a proper and timely manner.

Revenue and Resources Generation (RRG) DMD Aslam Khan, another member of the no objection committee, revealed that civic entity had been facing a revenue loss due to stoppage of new water connections.

Meanwhile, ABAD members told Daily Times that many members of the body had been facing financial loss due to KWSB’s unwillingness to approve of new water connections.

According to representatives of ABAD, this attitude of KWSB was promoting illegal water connection culture which was not in the interest of industrial and residential buyers of apartments. They said that ABAD discouraged illegal water connection culture.

They explained that SC had allowed ground plus three storey apartment strictly in accordance with approved plan of Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) terms.

He said that the owners were compelled to take new water connections or arrange alternate sources on their own cost.

Illegal water connection were reported in North Karachi, Surjani Town, Gulistan-e-Jauher, Scheme 33, Korangi, Shah Faisal, Malir, Model Colony, Manzoor Colony, North Nazimabad, Liaquatbad, Clifton and Karachi Union of Administrative Society with the connivance of officials of KWSB, according to survey reports conducted by several NGOs. These reports had been submitted to Local Government secretary for action.

Published in Daily Times, August 17^th 2018.