20000404

KWSB resists audit of abandoned projects' expenditure

RECORDER REPORT

KARACHI: The Karachi Water and Sewerage Board is resisting audit of its expenditure wasted on half completed and abandoned projects, it was learnt on Monday, according to knowledgeable sources.

The provincial development working party (PDWP) on May 24, 1994, had approved a project for "Replacement of Undersized and Damaged Water Lines in Old City Areas of the City", costing Rs 29 million, with a view to ensuring 'even distribution of available water supply to the residents of old city'.

The water supply position in the old city remains as had as before with acute shortage in district South, though KWSB claims that it has made adequate arrangement for water supply through tankers. The water supply position in districts West and Centre has also not improved in the last more than two weeks.

The project approved by PDWP had seven major components out of which only four were reportedly fully completed, one was completed only 40 percent and no contract was awarded for the remaining two important components. The entire project was programmed to be completed in two years from the date of commencement of work.

The KWSB spent Rs 3.57 million on the replacement of, damaged and unserviceable 8-inch diameter and 4-inch diameter water lines at Old Town Quarters, Rs 5.02 million on the replacement of damaged and unserviceable 4-inch diameter and 6-inch diameter water lines at NP & MR quarters, Rs 2.91 million on the construction of an underground water tank with a capacity of 5,000 gallons at Government primary School, opposite Babar Ground, for improvement in water supply at Okhai Colony and adjoining areas of Bhutta village.

The KWSB undertook laying of 8-inch diameter AC water main for connecting it with the pumping station on Okhai Colony, Bhutta village and spent Rs 1.62 million on the completion of the work.

It further spent Rs 1.69 million on the replacement of 12-inch diameter CI water main from Habib Bank Plaza to Tower, I.I. Chundrigar Road, and laying 12-inch diameter AC main on Dr. Zia Uddin Ahmed Road from PIDC House to I. I. Chundrigar Road, and 12-inch CI water main for improving water supply. The work on this portion of the scheme was 40 percent completed in 1998.

The KWSB had at that time said, "Balance of work would be completed from local funding to operationalise the water main." Since then the progress on this portion of work has not been reported by the KWSB.

Besides leaving some of the work incomplete, the KWSB did not award two contracts in time for replacement of old and unserviceable 15-inch diameter, 6-inch diameter, 4-inch diameter lines at BRGK Quarters. The estimated cost of the work was Rs 5.22 million.

For the replacement/rehabilitation of 24-inch diameter KPT Kemari main from Ghaib Shah Mazar (level crossing) to Nassan Ghaj, Bhutta village for which Rs 7.04 million was allocated.

Sources at the KWSB said the officers responsible for the completion of the entire project carried out only that much of work which was easy and "beyond any check". The work was abruptly abandoned in the financial year 1997-98. However, no progress report had so far been made public, they added.

They said unless different parts/components of a project were completed, the objectives of that projects could not be achieved.

Sources said attempts to audit expenditure on the project, involving 100 percent Sindh government funds, were still being made, but without any results so far.