Open manholes: Minister for filing legal cases against WASA officers

LAHORE: Punjab Housing Minister Bilal Yasin has said that the Punjab government has established a zero-tolerance policy regarding incidents of children falling into manholes; thus, a legal case will be filed against the responsible officer if manholes remain uncovered areas fall under the Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA).

He expressed these views while chairing a meeting held here on Saturday to deliberate on improving manhole coverage and water supply management across the province. WASA Punjab Director General Tayyab Farid, along with officials from WASA Lahore and the WASA Managing Directors of 18 other districts, attended the meeting via video link.

During the meeting, the Minister instructed the WASA Managing Directors of all districts to ensure that manholes were properly covered. He made it clear that if manholes remain open in functional WASA districts, action will be taken against the responsible officers.

He expressed regret over the recent incidents involving children, saying administrative incompetence will not be tolerated. “An immediate survey has been ordered in all districts, and any open manholes will be quickly covered. There will be zero tolerance for complaints or accidents in any district,” he added. According to him, the WASA Lahore has been directed to ensure that ongoing projects are completed on time, along with the implementation of standard operating procedures.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025