KWSC removes 150 illegal hydrants with Rangers’ help since Sept 2023

KARACHI: Sindh Rangers Brigadier Kabeer Ahmed and Managing Director Karachi Water, Sewerage Corporation (KWSC) Syed Salahuddin and others briefed the media on Friday about the ongoing operations against water theft in Karachi.

Brigadier Ahmed said that an operation was formally launched on September 17, 2023. According to a conservative estimate, 150 illegal hydrants and 1,200 illegal connections had been set up by the water mafia to steal water, out of which about 100MGD of water was being illegally stolen for commercial and domestic needs.

The stolen water was not only being sold to industrial and domestic consumers two to three times more expensive than the government rate, but the KWSC was losing billions of rupees a month due to water theft.

He added that the Sindh Rangers along with the KWSC planned the operation against the water mafia without any discrimination, and during the operation, where illegal hydrants are being eliminated, some connections will also be regularized according to legal action as per the need.

The Sindh Rangers in collaboration with the KWSC has so far sealed and demolished all illegal hydrants during action against 210 illegal hydrants in 100 operations. During these operations, 177 people were arrested and 152 FIRs registered against them.

In the second phase, an operation is being carried out against illegal connections, which has almost been completed. During this period, action has been taken against about 875 illegal water connections (618 linked to hydrants, 73 connected to underground wells and 184 other illegal water connections) involved in theft of fresh water. A large number of these illegal connections were stealing and supplying fresh water for commercial use.

In this phase, 63 operations were carried out by taking further action against the illegally connections. Under these operations, 184 illegal connections were found to be connected with the following supply lines of the KWSC and they were removed and the water supply in the water supply was improved. Haleje Landhi and Mehran Highway had eight of these connections, Papri Line Korangi 45, South Bank Lyari 12, Site Super Highway 62, Hub Line Manghopir 15, and Nazimabad Site Federal trunk main Line 42. The illegal connections also included underground wells (73).

Due to lack of water in Karachi, factories and industries were given limited licences to use subsoil water as alternative source of water. The water mafia was stealing fresh waterin the guise of sub-soil connection and after mixing sub-soil water, consumers were being sold the water in the name of sub-soil water.

Brigadier Kabeer Ahmed said that by puncturing the underground main lines of the water corporation, millions of gallons of water were being transferred to an underground tank with the help of heavy pumps and motors on a daily basis and sold for commercial purposes at expensive prices. Due to this, citizens in Karachi faced a water shortage. Millions of gallons of water were being stolen on a daily basis.

In this operation, 84 operations were carried out as a result of which 73 illegal connections (Lyari River, Site Super Highway, New Karachi, Liaquatabad Lyari Expressway and Jamshed Town Areas) which were connected to sub-soil bore and 98 illegal underground wells were removed.

He added that in the meantime, the licences of 17 companies involved in water theft have been cancelled. Apart from this, some illegal hydrants were being operated by stealing water from the Hub Canal, from where water was being transported to different areas through water tankers. Along with demolishing these hydrants, tankers providing illegal water were also taken into legal custody.

The KWSC has taken departmental action and suspended an officer and initiated an inquiry against him and also removed the Anti-Theft Cell from this position for failing to stop water theft.

As a result of the operations, about 25 MGD of stolen water has been added back to the supply system of the KWSC, most of which were recovered from Banaras (12 MGD), Manghopir, Qasba, Baldia Town, Surjani (5 MGD), Landhi, Korangi, Bin Qasim, Malir (4 MGD) Lyari, Liaquatabad, Clifton, Saddar (2 MGD), and Site Super Highway Industrial Area.

Apart from this, the flow and pressure of water has not only doubled in the affected areas of Karachi, but the water supply has also increased. These operations are not only benefiting the people, but the Water Corporation’s revenue also recorded a monthly increase of Rs400 million (30%).

It was also said during the briefing that at present trackers were installed in about 1,300 water tankers and QR codes were installed in 2,400 tankers, which are providing water to the people at the government rate.

The KWSC has set up 14 new filling points to facilitate the public and keeping in mind the problems of all private tankers. In addition, the old average rate of 3,000 gallons has been reduced from Rs 10,000 to Rs8,000, 5,000 gallons from Rs12,000 to Rs9,500 and 6,000 gallons from Rs15,000 to Rs2,000.

Moreover, the pumping station Sector 19-D Baldia has been planned to be restored for water supply to the public. The citizens can register in the online application of Karachi Water and Sewerage Board Corporation and get water at the government rate. The operation in collaboration with Water and Sewerage Board Corporation and Sindh Rangers will continue till the complete elimination of water theft. It is appealed to the public to report any kind of water theft to Rangers Helpline 1101 or 0347-9001111.

MD Water Board Syed Salahuddin said that, earlier water worth Rs10 billion was being stolen from the city in a year, and 60 percent of the city’s water was being stolen. He added that, 35 percent water theft has been stopped and around 7,000 water tankers are running in the city, 2400 tankers have been registered during the operation.

Moreover, Water Corporation’s revenue has increased from Rs6.5 crore to Rs16.5 crore per month and action has been taken against six people of water corporation involved in water theft and the Water Corporation’s hydrants will be digitized from January 10.