KARACHI: Defence Clifton Bazar Area Resident Association (DCBRA) held a meeting on Sunday to review the water shortage and related civic matters which was presided by Clifton Board Cantonment (CBC) former vice president Najeeb Wali along with office-bearers of the association and former councilors of CBC.
Najeeb Wali was of the view in the meeting that as per rule 116, it is the fundamental duty of the CBC to provide residents clean and adequate water, sanitation facilities, proper roads and streets lights as defined in Cantonment Act 1924.
He said, “In the last two years millions of rupees have been spent in account of water supply lines, yet residents are still not getting water via pipelines and compelled to purchase water from tankers, therefore we strongly demand that whatever has been done on the name of development worked must be brought in public.”
He also demanded CBC that all the proceedings of their board meeting be made public as required under section 41of Cantonment Act 1942 and freedom of ordinance 2002 (Ordinance XCVI of 2002) for residents’ awareness about their public money expenditures.
DCBRA Senior Vice President Afsar Imran suggested the Defence Housing Authority should be asked to get control of water supply from CBC and have more influence over CBC so that maintenance and development work in DHA Karachi could be brought parallel to DHA, Lahore.
The participants of the meeting ensured their full support to DCBRA for taking a stand against acute water shortage and other civic problems, the residents of CBC are facing for a long time. The participants requested the elected representatives in CBC should work honestly and in the interest of residents and called the higher authorities to transfer or take action against those corrupt and incompetent officers who perform poorly.
It was resolved in the meeting that all efforts should be made for an increase of water supply from Karachi Water and Sewerage Board which is not fulfilling the required task. It was also decided if things do not get improved, another peaceful protest would be held soon with more number of participants.
In the end, Najeeb Wali thanked all, specially ladies and senior citizens, who took part in the meeting and participated in the last year peaceful protest against tanker mafia.
