Karachi is being held hostage by illegal hydrant mafia, SC observes

KARACHI: A Supreme Court judge while hearing an illegal hydrant case on Thursday observed that while he grew up drinking tap water, citizens have to buy mineral water these days.

Managing Director Water Board Misbahuddin presented a report on hydrants in the city to a three-member bench headed by Justice Ameer Hani.

The apex court asked for details of pending cases in courts related to water hydrants.

Justice Khijli Arif Hussain remarked, “We grew up drinking tap water, now a poor man needs to buy mineral water. Citizens are demanding clean water and access to basic necessities.”

Justice Ameer Hani observed that the city was being held hostage to wall men who supply water to areas according to their wishes.

He inquired about a system of water supply which distributed water to the city impartially. He also asked why water meters had not been set up which measured units of water consumed.

Water Board Managing Director responded that only 20 meters had been set up, while the other 121 could not be set up due to lack of funds.

The court observed that water shortage in the city only occurs due to mismanagement.

The Water Board Managing Director said that the city received 550 million gallons of water everyday.

Justice Hani replied that 18 gallons of water are enough for each citizen everyday. “If it is that difficult to run this system, outsource it,” he said.

The court inquired about the number of water tankers in the city. The Water Board MD replied that 10000 worked in the city.

The court remarked that 13 tankers could not supply water to 1000 tankers.

The court further said that session judges will probe the report submitted by the water board.

Illegal water hydrants are a menace citizens are forced to tolerate. Experts claim that these illegal hydrants are responsible for creating an artificial water shortage in the city, so that citizens have to buy water from tankers which essentially should be available to them free of cost.

Influential people are involved in the tanker mafia. In 2013 a social activist Parveen Rehman was gunned down in Orangi area allegedly by the tanker mafia for speaking out against them, police and her family claims.