The Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) reduced the water charges for textile industry from 215 to 135 per thousand gallons and for other industries from Rs 215 to Rs 190 per thousand gallons on Saturday.
The decision was made during a meeting held at Governor House under the Chairmanship of Governor Sindh Dr Ishrat-ul Ebad which was also attended by the Managing Director KWSB Misbahuddin Farid, Chairman Board of Investment Sindh, Zubair Motiwala, Chairman Korangi Association of Trade and Industry (KATI) Ehteshamuddin, FPPCCI's Mian Zahid Hussain, Bashir Ali Muhammad and Chairmen SITE Association of Industry (SAI) , Mohammad Irfan Moton, Chairman F B Area Association of Trade and Industry (FBAATI) Masroor Alvi and chairmen of North Karachi Association of Trade and Industry, Landhi, North Karachi and Bin Qasim Association.
According to the decision new rates for textile processing industry which depends and runs mostly on water would now be Rs 135 per thousand gallons from Rs 215 while other industries would now pay Rs 190 per 1,000 gallons instead of Rs 215. The existing charges were Rs 119 per 1,000 gallons. The industry was protesting against the price hike by the KWSB which had been termed as most ruthless and cruel.
The Chairman KATI Ehteshamuddin said that the Governor's intervention in the matter has resolved a big issue which was haunting the entire industry of the country's industrial and financial hub-Karachi. Ehteshamuddin further disclosed that it was also decided in the meeting to shift all KWSB meters from outside to inside the factories to save them from being stolen and ensure the KWSB staff to bill on the basis of meter readings. The KATI chief on behalf of industry has expressed his gratitude to the Governor Sindh for resolving a major issue.