After the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) failed to get the rights of land possession from the government of Sindh, the managing director of the water utility is now holding revenue officials of the Board of Revenue responsible for helping land mafia, that has hindered several development projects aimed at improving water and sewerage, Pakistan Today has learnt.
The water utility has time and again approached the Sindh government for handing over of at least 22,560 acres of lands, for which the water utility had paid decades ago, so that valuable land could be secured from the clutches of land encroachers. However, their demands remained unmet and the revenue authorities were allotting the water utility’s lands without any consent, sources told Pakistan Today.
Interestingly, more than 780 acres of the water utility’s land, which has remained with the Board of Revenue and as yet has not been transferred to the KWSB, located in the metropolis at a prime location, has been encroached by influential individuals and groups, causing loss of billions of rupees to the water provider. Besides, the illegal occupation of the lands has also baldy affected the ongoing and future mega projects aimed at addressing water needs of the city’s dwellers in the coming decades, according to official sources.
The KWSB managing director has made repeated attempts to persuade higher authorities to get the precious lands cleared from the land mafia and to get the physical possession of the thousands of acres of land however, according to sources, ‘traditional slackness’ had put these lands worth billions of rupees at the mercy of criminals.
In this regard, the water utility has forwarded a letter No MD/KWSB/2012/718/L to the principle secretaries of governor, chief minister, the chief secretary, Headquarters 5 Corps, secretary local government and other authorities with the request to protect the lands and complete the records.
As discussed in meetings, a total of 22,560 acres of KWSB land, for reservation and annexation of water and sewerage system legally, is scattered in pockets and pieces, throughout the city and even beyond its limits in different towns and districts, the letter stated.
“Out of this, around 780 acres land is located in metropolitan areas of Karachi. However due to the manifold increase in real estate value, these valuable KWSB assets, especially those located in prime locations being a soft target, have been encroached by influential groups and vested stakeholders,” according to the letter exclusively available with Pakistan Today.
“Interalia, mainly the incomplete title formalities being in respect of these lands encourages such embezzlement, manhandling and land grabbing, which is a cause of concern and loss to KWSB since long. Now, as decided in the meetings and clearly directed by the Sindh government authorities, the Karachi commissioner and the Sindh Board of Revenue shall facilitate KWSB in completion of legal entitlement in Records of Rights and government registers and they will hand over the secure and peaceful possession of these lands to KWSB after clearance of all encroachments while the details of all KWSB lands compiled by a reputable consultant as a part of GIS land demarcation plan, are hereby forwarded to them,” the letter further said.
“In light of above referred deliberations, it is requested that the deputy commissioner and revenue officers in all districts and sub divisions may kindly be issued appropriate time bound instructions for completion of title formalities, demarcation and physical possession of KWSB lands, the adequate force of anti-encroachment police and suitable machinery of commissioner’s/KMC demolition squad may be detailed to KWSB for clearance of all encroachment from its land and all the concerned may be directed to extend cooperation and assistance to the KWSB focal person in the matter,” the letter concluded.
When contacted, KWSB Managing Director Misbahuddin Farid said the water utility had acquired these lands from the revenue department after payment in 1968. These lands are located at Haleji, Ghaghar, Chiliya, Pirpri and around the water board’s installations, he said, adding that future expansion projects of water board seemed to face serious problems with the continued menace of the land mafia. “We have compiled the record of the lands with help from a consultant and shared it with revenue officials so that these lands could shortly be handed over to KWSB,” he added.
Furthermore, on Thursday, a detailed media release was issued that stated that while on one hand, despite KWSB’s repeated submission of digitalised summary and report to Sindh government, Board of Revenue members, Karachi commissioner and other concerned authorities, no action has been taken by higher revenue officials as yet. Revenue officials have been reminded about protection of land, illegal allotments and recovery of illegally possessed lands time and again but to no avail.
Deciding to take action on the matter Farid formulated a five-member team to monitor and protect 26,000 acres of land allocated to KWSB.
KWSB Deputy Managing Director Technical Services Iftikhar Ahmed Khan would be the convener of the committee whereas the rest of the committee comprises of the concerned zonal chief engineer, Water Trunk Main chief engineer, Legal Affairs director and Water Trunk Main superintendent engineer.
The committee would not only monitor KWSB lands and assets but would also recover lands possessed illegally with the help of administration and police officials.
It would also be responsible for eliminating all illegal nurseries at the Trunk Mains, disconnect all illegal connections taken for these nurseries, launching FIRs and perusal for legal prosecution. Moreover, with the help of law enforcement agencies it would also take action against illegal hydrants in the city and wipe them out throughout the city.
A report would be submitted at the MD Secretariat after 15 days. The committee would also be responsible for monitoring valve operation schedules to ensure fair supply to all areas and would take strict action against any negligent officer or staff.
