KARACHI: Abdul Rahim Palijo, the most corrupt officer in Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) has been re-appointed as Executive Engineer of Hub Trunk Main (HTM) 66-inch diameter main line. The 18th-grade officer has also illegally set up a dairy farm at Karachi University. In the past, he was arrested for taking bribes by Anti-Corruption while on the report of Chief Engineer of Sindh Infrastructure Development Company Limited (SIDCL) about the provision of more than 100 illegal water connections in District West Karachi, he was transferred.
According to the documents obtained by MM News, as per letter No. KW & SB / DP / HR (IV) -I / 3195, issued with the sign of Director Personnel KWSB, M Amir Tughlaq, on the order of Chairman KWSB, Superintendent Engineer ( E&M (Grade 19) Wasim Akhtar has been posted as Deputy Chief Engineer (E&M).
While Hub Trunk Main (HTML) Executive Engineer (Civil) grade 18 officer Abdul Wahid Sheikh has been given additional charge and grade 18 Executive Engineer (Civil) Abdul Rahim Palijo has been given the charge of HTML. While sewerage charge of the Kemari division has been taken back from Paleo.
Palejo is a corrupt officer, against whom the Chief Engineer of SIDCL, Bilal Ahmed Memon had sent a report to Commissioner Karachi on October 27, 2020, stating that the Sindh government’s Rs. 1670 million project was irreparably damaged by the illegal provision of various water connections from 66 inche diameter line passing through Manghopir road.
According to the report the SIDCL had installed 8.9 km of 66-inch diameter and 2.4 km of 48-inch diameter lines for water supply in district west. It is learned that 44 illegal connections of 1-4 inches diameter have been given from the 66-inch diameter line, and Exian Palejo is fully responsible for this.
The report recommended that legal action should be taken against the said Exian and his subordinates so that the public interest could be protected from any harm and the water thief mafia could be eradicated, however, no action was taken against Palejo.
It should be noted that Palijo was arrested red-handed by Anticorruption while receiving bribes. After that, he issued a statement in which he confessed that like everyone he is taking bribes. It is said that he was acquitted by paying a bribe.
Palejo’s residence is in the camp office of the first project of the KWSB at Karachi University, where he has also kept several cattle and utilizes free electricity and gas for his dairy farm.
When contacted, Palejo claims that he has only one buffalo and that the rest of the buffaloes and cows are the property of other people. He also claimed that he had replied to the letter written against him by SIDCL Chief Engineer.
