ISLAMABAD: Lauding the decentralisation of nationwide tankers Karachi’s Water Tanker Mafia has unanimously approved the country’s first ever National Water Policy (NWP) while also signing a charter calling for a water emergency in the country.
The decision was taken at the 1237th meeting of the city’s water tanker mafia on Tuesday. The mafia heads of all city localities attended the meeting and signed on the national water charter, promising consolidated efforts for tackling a potential water supply competition, which might be caused by government steps to provide water to the citizens.
The draft policy includes pricing the water tanks at the delivery point, while for purely personal financial reasons the water supply has to have multiple middlemen.
The policy also includes reducing the tanker development budget 10% to 3% by 2019 and eventually to 0% by 2030, with the aim to recycle the same hazardous tankers till the end of time.
According to the policy, a new groundwater authority will be established in each mafia group to ensure sustainability of the business model and transparency among competing mafia groups, besides an information technology-based monitoring system at all diversion points, for any mafia members who might consider diverting from the charter.
The real-time data for such members, and their burials would be made digitally available.
The prime objective of the NWP is to take congisance of an unlikely water money crisis and provide comprehensive guidelines in case steps are taken where the water tankers might be perceived as superfluous.
The water tanker mafia in Karachi haven’t exactly faced any stumbling blocks, especially since the turn of the century, but they are preparing themselves for a time – even if completely hypothetical as things stand – where state sources might provide competition for provision of water supply to the locals.
