KARACHI: Residents of Defence Housing Authority (DHA) and Cantonment Board Clifton (CBC) Thursday filed a petition in Sindh High Court (SHC) against both bodies for their failure to perform their civic duties during the recent torrential rains in Karachi.
A division bench of SHC issued notices to both DHA, CBC and others to submit their replies in three-week in the petition, filed by Barrister Mohsin Shahwani on behalf of petitioners. Petition stated that the concerned authorities' failure to perform their duties during the rains on August 27 & 28 2020 caused heavy financial and human losses.
Petition stated that DHA didn't take any measures to deal with the emergency situation and alleged that CBC is pocketing taxes from the residents living in its jurisdiction. Petition stated that CBC is responsible for constructing and maintaining streets, drainage works, sewerage works and culverts etc.
In addition, the CBC is exclusively empowered to ensure that no unauthorized structures or encroachments are permitted upon drainage and sewerage works, and to take appropriate action in respect of the same. However, the CBC has repeatedly failed to perform the aforesaid functions despite having financial and administrative control in respect of the same, and has thereby failed to discharge its statutory mandate.
Petition maintained that DHA is obligated to ensure all development, planning and residential/commercial works are conducted in accordance with sound principles and international best practices, as well as Karachi's topographical constraints and ecological requirements.
Counsel stated that these authorities are extracting millions of rupees towards taxes of different heads, however, nothing is being spent on the infrastructure. He submitted that there should have been complete audit of amount being received by them as nothing is being applied for the maintenance of infrastructure. Court issued notices to DHA, CBC, Advocate General Sindh and Deputy Attorney General to submit their replies in three-week.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2020
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