KARACHI, Oct 23: Unrest is brewing again in Lyari Town because of an acute water shortage there as residents of the affected areas have warned of agitation if remedial steps are not taken.
The hard-hit areas are major parts of Shah Beg Lane, including old and new Kalri, and parts of Baghdadi and Chawkiwara union councils.
The shortage in old and new Kalri, particularly Ali Mohammad Mohalla and Eidu Lane, is chronic as the localities have not been connected with any main water supply line.
Work on a water pipeline, connecting Ali Mohammad Mohalla with a pumping station near Aga Khan Maternity Home via Shah Latif Bhittai Road, was started two months back but suspended later on. As a result, the problem could not be resolved.
The residents of Ali Mohammad Mohalla had refused to vote for any candidate who did not make a firm commitment that he would resolve the decade-old water supply problem in the locality.
The PPP candidate held out the assurance on behalf of his party and the residents, most of them engaged in fish industry, backed him in the elections.
The water shortage became acute when the alternate day rotation system introduced in some parts of Baghdadi Union Council, particularly in adjoining areas of Fida Husain Shaikha Road, Yusuf Haroon Road, D.D Chowdhry Road and Haji Pir Mohammad Baloch Road, was reversed suddenly.
The water supply to these localities has now become irregular. People have to pass sleepless nights in wait for water through the dried taps.
The residents of Fida Husain Shaika Road have accused the valve-men of diverting flow of water to other areas and thus creating an artificial shortage in the locality.
Expressing their outrage over the indifferent attitude of the relevant authorities, the affected people have threatened to take to the streets as a last resort if normal water supply is not restored before the advent of Ramazan.
Reports of water shortage have also been received from some parts of Darayabad and Khadda union councils. Residents of these localities have held the KWSB officials responsible for the problem and strongly criticized their indifferent attitude.
According to them, even the minor complaints of local nature are not attended properly by the officials and record of complaints are not maintained.
The working system in pumping station, they say, need to be organized and an in-built system should be introduced to monitor the operation of the stations which are badly manned by the valve-men.
They have also suggested installation of meters in the pumping station to monitor water distribution.
