Water Commission bans constructions in Karachi's Defence, Clifton Cantonment

KARACHI: Sindh Water Commission put a complete ban on the constructions in Defense Housing Authority (DHA) and Clifton Cantonement areas of the metropolis on Monday.

“Work on construction projects is banned until the conflict on boundaries between Defence and Clifton Cantonment is resolved,” water commission head Justice Amir Hani Muslim said during the hearing of the case related to water supply and drainage issues in the Sindh High Court (SHC).

The Supreme Court-appointed Water Commission enquired officials about the quantity of untreated water being drained in the sea? “Annually 580 million gallons of untreated water is dumped in the sea in Karachi,” DHA officials told.

The water commission head further questioned as to where the sewerage water from commercial and business centres is being dumped into the sea? To this, they replied, “We are working out a plan with Mehmoodabad Treatment Plant.”

The officials of the Water Board blamed unscheduled load-shedding by the K-Electric for interruption in smooth water supply in the city. On which K-Electric’s lawyer responded that unavailability of gas is responsible for load-shedding as Sindh is not getting its due share of the gas.

Justice (retd) Amir Hani Muslim snapped at the counsel of Water Board and K-Electric for ignoring the problems of the port city.

On May 21, the Supreme Court-mandated Water Commission forbade Defense Housing Authority (DHA) from further constructions in the area unless it provides due water facilities to the residents.

The Supreme Court constituted a Water Commission in order to address the water crisis in Sindh pertaining to the access of clean drinking water and drainage issues.