KARACHI, Nov 17: Despite the recent protests, the authorities have taken no notice of the water shortage problem in Lyari Town.

An acute water shortage problem in Baghdadi, Shah Beg Lane, Haat Chowk, parts of Chawkiwara, Rexer Lane and Kalri recently forced people to come out on the streets.

Those living along the D.D Chowdhary Road near the Lyari Telephone Exchange have been suffering water shortage for the past four months.

In a letter, which is the fifth in a series, to the governor Sindh, the chief justice of the Sindh High Court and other officials, the residents have said that despite repeated protests the KWSB authorities have failed to restore normal water supply to their areas and they are having to use subsoil water at the cost of their health.

They have complained that no action has been taken against the illegal connections provided some months back near Sheedi Arabi Mosque.

Several attempts were made by the residents to contact the KWSB offices concerned at their offices in Saddar Cooperative Market and Agra Taj Colony, but each time they met with failure.

The residents say that since the inception of the city government, the water and sewerage problems of their area have multiplied and the system has totally failed to operate.

Recalling that Rs30 million were sanctioned in Aug 2002 only for the maintenance and upkeep of water and sewerage problems in Lyari Town, the residents have requested the authorities concerned to notify the expenses. They accuse valve-men of having created an artificial water crisis by diverting their water share to some other areas.

The worst affected areas include Baghdadi, Shah Beg Lane, Kalri (old and new) Darayabad, Nawabad, Baloch Para (Mauripur Road) and some parts of Kalakot and Rexer Lane.

The defective water distribution system and illegal connections have been causing severe problems in some parts of Lyari for many years, but the past two months have seen the situation get as grave as it can get.

Some localities do not receive regular water supply because the supply lines have been diverted to other areas by the powerful water mafia. Some localities have no water connections at all.

CONTAMINATION: The residents of Fidha Husain Shaika Road, Baghdadi, have complained that they are getting contaminated water.