KARACHI, Nov 23: Various parts of the city have been in the grip of an acute water shortage for the past six days, forcing the residents of the water-starved localities to either buy private tankers at exorbitant rates or consume unhygienic sub- soil water in Ramazan.
The localities which have been facing the water shortage since the start of Ramazan include North Nazimabad’s Blocks C and D, Federal B. Area’s Blocks 18, 19 and 20, Old Golimar, Wilayatabad, Gulbahar, Khokarapar No 2-1/2, Saudabad, parts of North Karachi, Clifton’s Blocks 2, 4, 5 and 7, parts of Lyari, Old City Area, PECHS Block 6 (green belt area).
Residents of PECHS, Block 6 (green belt area), complained that though more than 100 houses had been water for the past fortnight, the officials concerned were not taking measures to restore the supply.
Though the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board officials claims that water supply position which was partly affected following the introduction of the new schedule of the supply from the first of Ramazan has now started improving in most of the localities, the residents of the water-starved localities describe the prevailing water scarcity problem as ‘artificial’, saying that one cannot rule out the possibility of some foul play as the persisting water crisis has made the business of water tankers more successful.
The residents of the affected localities said that nowadays one could see frequent movement of private water tankers not only on the city’s thoroughfares but also in various localities.
They observed that on the one hand they were not being provided water from the KWSB’s hydrants and on the other private water tankers, which are being sold between Rs400 and Rs500 per tanker, were supplying unhygienic water.
Some engineers of the KWSB, however, claimed that the officials of bulk supply were responsible for the prevailing water shortage and they had already taken up the issue with their senior officials.
Criticizing the officials concerned of the KWSB for not taking interest in ensuring smooth and uninterrupted water supply to their localities, the residents of the affected localities asked the City Nazim and the KWSB managing director to immediately help restore normal supply as they could to afford to buy costly private tankers for such a long period.
Experts maintain that another reason of water crisis in the city is leakage of water pipes. They point out that the KWSB does not seem perturbed over the fact that every week gallons of water go down the drain, unused and utilized. If the utility, they add, make a concerted effort to fill these leakages, it would be able to save a great quantity of water every day.
OVERFLOW: Filthy water gushing out from some choked gutters often remain stagnant near Ranchorre Line’s main market.
Complaints of continuous overflow of dirty water from several choked gutters have also been received from the residents of Orangi’s Sector 1-C.
Residents of the affected locality observed that though the filthy water coming out from the choked gutters usually remained standing in front of their houses as well as the compound wall of Ebrahim Alibhoy School, the officials concerned seemed least interest in rectifying the fault.
They urged the KWSB managing director and the chief engineer (sewerage) to direct the officials to get the choked gutters cleared without any delay.
KARACHI, Nov 23: Various parts of the city have been in the grip of an acute water shortage for the past six days, forcing the residents of the water-starved localities to either buy private tankers at exorbitant rates or consume unhygienic sub- soil water in Ramazan.
