KARACHI: The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Thursday directed the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board to chalk out a comprehensive policy for uninterrupted water supply to the city within four weeks and submit a compliance report.

A three-member bench comprising Justices Amir Hani Muslim, Mushir Alam and Maqbool Bagar was hearing various human rights applications against illegal water hydrants in the city at the SC Karachi registry.

The court also directed the authorities concerned to place on record details of all such cases in which the operators of illegal hydrants had obtained stay orders for running their business.

The bench expressed its displeasure over the failure of the water utility to supply potable water and observed that outsourcing of hydrants meant either the KWSB of ficials were inefficient or they did not want to deliver.One of the bench members questioned as to how no-objection certificates (NOCs) were issued to the multi-storey buildings for water connections in the localities where arrangements for water supply were not proper.

KWSB Managing Director Hashim Raza Zaidi appeared in the court to inform the judges that various operators of the illegal hydrants had obtained stay orders against the removal of hydrants. He said the hydrant operators were selling each water tanker for up to Rs10,000.

He told the judges that there were as many as 24 hydrants still operating in Karachi. The water utility with the Rangers assistance demolished over 200 illegal hydrants across the city, he added.

Mr Zaidi submitted that as many as 1,000 water tankers were supplied free of cost in districts West and Central during Ramazan.

He said that no new contract had been awarded for operating hydrant in the city over the past two years.

A bench member asked Mr Zaidi if there was any policy or framework for water supply in the city. He observed that streets were also damaged due to water tankers.

The water utility chief requested the court to grant him two to three weeks for submitting his report and framework in the court.Justice Hani remarked that the hydrant mafia was too strong and the water utility chief would not be able to take any action against them.

Mr Zaidi said the KWSB was taking action against illegal hydrant. Recently, he added, an illegal hydrant was demolished in Chakra Goth, Korangi.

Earlier, he extended unconditional apology to the court for not appearing before the court during the previous hearing.

On Wednesday, the court had become irked to observe the absence of the water utility chief as he had not appeared despite a specific order for hispersonalappearance.

Police budget case The same bench expressed extreme displeasure on the absence of Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ghulam Haider Jamali who was earlier directed by the court to submit a detail report on budgetary allocations and expenditures of police department.

The bench was hearing a miscellaneous application seeking release of funds allocated in the budget for the police investigation wing.

The bench directed IGP Jamali to appear before the court and submit his report on Friday (today).