May 22, 2002	Wednesday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 8,1423

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SWABI, May 21: Many areas of densely-populated Topi and the Gadoon belt have been facing an acute water shortage for five days during which the persistent heatwave has added to the hardships of the people.

The affected people have been protesting against the public health department and the other departments concerned for not solving the problem of water shortage, but in vain.

Since long, most of the Gadoon belt localities have been receiving water from natural streams and only in a few localities wells have been dug. However, little water is left in the wells and the streams in summer when the water level goes down drastically.

Water to Gadoon is supplied from the streams of Utla, where the water level is relatively high, but the people of other areas suffer due to the low water level.

This water supply system is flawed, as a huge quantity of water is lost through many leakages, while the water streams down through different routes, a public health officer told Dawn.

Besides, according to the official, water gets contaminated and causes the break out of many deadly diseases. Last year, he said, cholera had broken out, killing many people of the area.

Akbar Khan of Ghani Ghathra told Dawn on phone that “if the water shortage continues for another five days, the people of the area would be forced to shift along with their cattle to the plain area, as they did last year.”

Other affected areas in Topi include Mantonoo, Shagha and Dotaka.