KARACHI: Councillors agitate at water crisis in Lyari
By Our Staff Reporter
KARACHI, Nov 3: Faced by a mounting pressure of public outcry regarding water shortage in parts of Lyari Town, the elected members met here on Saturday to discuss the situation and chalked out a future line of action to tackle the issue.
They warned the authorities of “serious consequences” if immediate steps are not taken to resolve the problem as it had become difficult for them to stop the people from holding protests.
The meeting, chaired by the Town Nazim, Abdul Khalique Juma, criticized the “indifferent attitude” of the KWSB towards the lingering water problem.
The Nazim said the situation was getting worse day-by-day. Ever since the creation of Lyari Town, efforts were being made to resolve the issue amicably, he added.
He said more than 15 meetings had, so far, been held on this issue and these meetings were also attended by nazims of 11 union councils.
They also approached the City Nazim, the DCO and the KWSB MD. During these meetings, certain decisions were also taken to resolve the problem, but these efforts proved futile as there was no improvement in the water supply position.
Some of the speakers expressed the view that they should quit their offices as people were getting restive and they would stage demonstrations to protest over the water shortage, and the vested interest could turn the emotions to a negative side by creating a law and order situation.
They also called for an early enhancement in water quota for Lyari from 13 to 18 mgd and expressed their dissatisfaction over the prevalent alternative day system.
According to officials, the water share of Lyari is 13 mgd, but the community leaders say the area was hardly getting 8 mgd.
The speakers also suggested that water be supplied on a daily basis in each locality.
For the past few months, water supply position in some parts of Lyari had aggravated. The affected areas include parts of Kalakot, Nawalane, Juman Shah Plot, Chawkiwara, Singoo Lane, Rangiwara, Gul Mohammad Lane, Old and New Kalri, Ahmed Shah Bukhari Road, Juma Baloch Road, Pool Patti Lane, Ali Mohammad Mohallah and Shah Beg Lane.
At the conclusion, it was decided that a joint press conference will be held on Monday at the Lyari Town Office by all the Nazims of Lyari Town in which they would declare their future course of action.
A survey shows that there are localities in Lyari which have simply received no water in many years. These areas include Ali Mohammad Mohallah, parts of new Kalri and old Kalri.
When they receive water, it is often visibly polluted, mixed with sewage from defective and leaking drainage lines, making it unfit for cooking and drinking.
WATER THEFT: Water theft has become a regular feature in the locality. Since Lyari lies at the tail-end of the city’s water distribution system, it also suffers the most from any diversion of water from this system to rich and powerful neighbourhoods that lie above Lyari in the distribution system.
Naturally, as Karachi’s water supply has failed to keep pace with its growing population, the pilferage of water has increased, exacerbating the water problem in Lyari.
ACUTE SHORTAGE: Acute water shortage continues to persist in different parts of Lyari and Old City Area.
The worst-affected areas include Chakiwara, Gul Mohammad Lane, Shah Beg Lane, Kumharwarah, Dariyabad, Nawabad and parts of Rexer Lane, Baghdadi, Kalakot, Memon Society, Silai Parra, Bihar Colony, Agra Taj Colony, Tannery Road and Ramaswami.
