KARACHI, May 12: An acute water shortage persists in various parts of the city, forcing the residents of the affected localities to either consume sub-soil unhygienic water or buy tankers at exorbitant rates.

The hard-hit areas included several sectors of Baldia, Orangi, parts of Lyari, KDA Scheme No 1 and A-1, Mithadar, Kharadar, Bhimpura, Clifton’s Block 2, New Karachi’s Sector 5-E, Ranchorre line, Pakistan Chowk, Haqqani Chowk, parts of Saddar and Gulshan-i-Iqbal’s Block 10-A.

Moreover, the localities which went without water as part of the city government’s water and sanitation department’s plan of diverting Indus water to the areas hooked to the Hub source included all blocks of North Nazimabad, Federal B’ Area, North Karachi’s Shadman Town and parts of Nazimabad.

Persisting water shortage in Orangi Town on Sunday night took an ugly turn when several parts of the Township went dry despite having their turn of getting the supply.

Residents of the Town complained that on the one hand they are supplied water after every 72 hours and, on the other the city government’s water and sanitation department often fails to ensure supply even on their turn and thus they remain without water for 144 hours.

Reiterating their demand that the gap between their supply be reduced from 72 hours to at least 48 hours, they urged the authorities to ensure that supply schedule is not disturbed.

Residents of Gulshan-i-Iqbal’s Block 10-A said that although at least 10 houses, situated on Talib-ul-Maula Street, are deprived of water since long, the officials concerned of the W&S department were taking no measures to rectify the fault responsible for non-availability of water despite a number of complaints lodged to them.