Disconnect water connection of buildings dumping sewerage waste into Buriganga: HC to Wasa

The High Court today directed Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (Wasa) to disconnect the water supply of those buildings dumping sewerage waste into Buriganga river within the next six months.

Besides, the court heavily rebuked Managing Director of Dhaka Wasa Taqsem A Khan for supplying water to buildings which have no sewerage lines.

There is no provision under the Wasa Act, 1996 and the Wasa Rules, 2011 for giving water supply to structures which have no sewerage lines and septic tanks, but Wasa has given them connections in violation of the law and rules, the HC said.

"The activities of managing director of Dhaka Wasa demonstrate that he does not know the law and rules. If he does it (giving water supply connection) knowing the law and rule, it's a punishable offence," the HC bench of Justice Gobinda Chandra Tagore and Justice Mohammad Ullah said.

The bench made the remark during hearing a pending writ petition filed by rights organisation Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB) in May 2010 seeking necessary directives to seal off the drains and sewerage lines connected to Buriganga and to save it from pollution.