KARACHI, July 31: Demonstrations against the persisting water shortage have become a familiar sight in front of the offices of different union councils of the water-deficit Orangi and Baldia towns. The elected representatives concerned fear riots if the KWSB fails to ensure equitable and fair distribution of the supply in all parts of the township.

Lashing out at the officials concerned of the KWSB for not remaining present on water-supply days, the Nazim, Naib Nazim and councillors of the concerned union councils alleged that a group comprising some policemen, rangers and KWSB officials had created an artificial shortage in various parts of Orangi to give a boost to the sale of water through donkey-carts and tankers.

They said that since water through donkey-cart was being sold between Rs70 and80 and the rate of a tanker ranged between Rs300 and 400, the water business in the township through these means had recently flourished at a very fast pace.

In support of their contention, Orangi Town’s (union council-9) Nazima, Shehnaz Perween, and Naib Nazim Mohammad Amin Baloch told Dawn that though water supply through the Hub dam source had declined from 38 million gallons of water per day to 13-15 mgd, the acute water shortage in almost six out of the total 13 union councils of the township had persisted since the advent of the summer season.

Attributing the water shortage to unequal and unfair distribution of water through two different pipelines — 36-inch dia and 48-inch dia — each catering to the water requirements of seven and six UCs respectively of the entire township, they alleged that the KWSB officials were releasing the supply through the 48-inch dia pipeline for 52 hours after every 24 hours as against the supply for only 16 hours after every three days through the 36-inch dia pipeline.

According to the elected representatives, the localities being supplied water through the 36-inch dia pipeline include union councils 6, 8, 10, 11, 12 and 13, and the 48-inch dia pipeline is supposed to meet the water needs of union councils 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 9.

They said that the localities which either often remained dry or got scant supply owing to the short supply of water through the 48- inch dia pipeline included Nishan-i-Haider Chowk, Pakistan Bazaar, Benazir Colony, Muhammad Mustafa Colony, Aziz Nagar, Ghausia Baloch Colony, Junaid Colony and Warsia Colony.

Endorsing the views of the Nazima and the Naib Nazim, the affected localities’ councillor, Aftab Ahmed, said that the water supply situation of the township’s hard-hit union councils was getting worse with each passing day not only because of the short supply of water through the Hub source but also due to the inordinate delay being caused in the setting up of a pumping station near Urdu Chowk.

According to him, the inauguration ceremony of the proposed pumping station was scheduled to be performed by president Pervez Musharraf in June 2000 and 25 million rupees were also allocated under the Khushal Pakistan Programme (formerly known as the poverty alleviation programme), but the plan has reportedly been shelved by the KWSB without any justification.

He said that the other factors responsible for the township’s grave water situation included wastage of a considerable quantity of water through the leakages which had developed in the pipeline passing through Orangi No 10, block ‘L’, Islam Chowk, Ali Nagar and Sabri Chowk; non-provision of valves in the pipeline between Nishan-i-Haider Chowk to Urdu Chowk and absence of the conveyance facility to the township’s valve-men, which they were earlier provided for expeditiously regulating the valve operation of the sprawling township.

Claiming that the KWSB had allocated Rs45,000 for each union council of Orangi for undertaking repair work of the leaking pipelines, he said that since the KWSB officials were not spending that amount the towns concerned were being pressurized by the area people to plug the leakages through the UCs’ funds.

He said that the Suzuki pickup which earlier used to carry valve-men to opening/closing valves of different localities had been out of order for the last two months, but the officials concerned were taking no interest in getting the vehicle repaired, although only a meagre amount of Rs12,000 was required for the purpose.

ABIDABAD: Baldia Town’s Abidabad, having a population of over 50,000, has been deprived of water for several years despite repeated complaints lodged in this regard with the senior officials of the KWSB.