Engineering Review talks to Mr. Shahab Usto,
the lead petitioner in
water and sewerage case
KWSB’s 16 hydrants in Karachi provide just 1 percent of water. Isn’t it surprising? The board earns Rs.1 billion {through corruption} from that 1 percent water. If we add up 20 to 25 percent stolen water into the system, the situation would greatly change provided corrupt practices are stopped. Almost everyone in the industry had taken unauthorized lines which were illegal. Now they are unearthed and are being brought under regulation. Water and sewerage in Karachi, Pakistan’s largest city and economic hub would be well within manageable limits in next two years, claims Shahab Usto, lead petitioner of ‘Water
and Sewerage Case’ in the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
In follow up to the petition, the apex court had constituted a commission usually called the Water Commission which is now led by Justice (R ) Amir Muslim Hani.
Mr. Usto who talked to ER as regards progress on water and sewerage projects in Karachi said, “We shall completely be handling sewerage issue in this city within the next two years. The works the commission has done are credible and in line with resolving the issue”. What the commission has done within one and a half year has not been done in the last 30 years even by the governments, he says.
Highrise buildings
Is there any plan as regards water and sanitation that the SC has permitted resuming building highrise buildings in Karachi?
The construction industry is worth trillions of rupees and behind it are many mafias. Initially, the situation was not clear and we intended to find ways and means to provide water and take care of sanitation issues. Thus, I pressed upon banning the construction of highrise buildings. Now, we know the situation as to how much water is being stolen and how much sanitary water is being produced.
The ban had created uncertainty as regards the future of these buildings. Also, it had affected the employment of the construction workers. This time, they {the owners of high-rise buildings} said till these buildings were complete, the water issue and sewerage would be well within manageable limits.
We shall completely be handling sewerage issue in this city within the next two years. The works the commission has done are credible and in line with resolving the issue. What the commission has done within one and a half year has not been done in the last 30 years even by the governments.
In Karachi, 100 MGD pumping station has been installed in Dhabechi. It is an addition to the total. Then, around 30 percent of water is being stolen in the city and we are trying to reduce it by 5 percent resulting in an increase of 25 percent water. Regulations are there now. Water meters are being installed at all bulk water points. Pumping stations would also be provided with water measuring meters.
KWSB’s 16 hydrants in Karachi provide just 1 percent of water. Isn’t it surprising? The board earns Rs.1 billion {through corruption} from that 1 percent water. If we add up 20 to 25 percent stolen water into the system, the situation would greatly change provided corrupt practices are stopped. Almost everyone in the industry had taken unauthorized lines which were illegal. Now they are unearthed and are being brought under regulation.
Sindh Govt. departments’ performance
There prevailed chaos when we had started this work. For example, there were 2200 RO plants installed all Sindh. The company which installed these plants was just one and the executors were more. They included the Public Health Engineering Department (PHED), KWSB, Special Initiatives, and Thar Coal Authority. There was no information as to how many plants were installed, what amount of money was spent and how many RO plants were functional? When were started looking into the issue, we came to know that 90 percent of RO plants were not working. We were successful to start over 1100 plants.
Now the commission has consolidated the record and only PHE is bound to do the job. In this department, there were no engineers. Then, the commission recommended recruiting 300 engineers through the Sindh Public Service Commission (SPSC). They are working now.
There was a time when no filter plant in any city of Sindh including its capital Karachi was functional and also no sewerage treatment plant moving.
Now, Sindh Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) is working and over 2300 industrial units have committed in writing that they would install treatments plants by March-April 2019. The agency has now three additional offices in rural Sindh.
Due to the commission, a system in Sindh government departments has started functioning. The commission has paid 68 visits all over the province and held more than 100 hearings. Such number of visits, I m sure have not paid by the chief minister himself. If this spirit is maintained by Sindh government, this province could be improved 50 times more than Punjab in 5 years.
Sindh government must be happy now as the commission is carrying out its work. The chief minister would like to keep the commission going.
Can we maintain such spirit and has the culture changed, no matter a bit of it?
There is no one accusation, be it the misuse of authority or any personal gain ever hurled at the commission, neither at the commission nor at the petitioner–Mr. Usto.
As far as culture in Sindh government departments is concerned, we have not been able to change it at all. You need policies to effect such a change. Incentives, reward, and punishment are required and it is continuous accountability which surely is required.n
