KARACHI: Water department told to plug leakages: Shortage persists
By Our Staff Reporter
KARACHI, June 22: Sindh Chief Secretary Dr Mutawakil Qazi on Sunday directed the city government’s water and sanitation department’s executive district officer to take immediate measures for plugging leakages in water distribution system which accounts for 20 to 30 per cent of the city’s total water supply.
Discussing the city’s persistent water issue with the city Nazim, Naimatullah Khan and the W&S department’s executive district officer Brig Javed Ashraf, the chief secretary also pondered over a Rs 150 million project ready for implementation and expressed the hope that the city’s water shortage problem would be overcome to some extent after the execution of the programme.
He asked the W&S department to have a critical analysis of the water pumping system, distribution management and valve operation on a war footing so that acute water shortage persisting in the city is controlled without any delay.
The improvement in water supply to all areas of the city was necessary for a harmonious environment and peace, he observed.
SHORTAGE: An acute water shortage continued to persist in various parts of the city on Sunday.
The hard-hit areas included Malir’s Kausar Town, parts of Khokhrapar, Landhi, Korangi, Baldia, Orangi, North Karachi, Surjani Town, Clifton’s blocks 4 and 5 and different localities of the Old City Area.
The crisis has hit many localities of Saddar Town, where residents of the affected areas say that the situation is turning from bad to the worse.
The areas, which are facing water shortage include Gizri, Hijrat Colony, Railway Colony, Saddar, Ranchore Lane, Kharadar-Mithadar, Bhimpura and Kumharwara.
Nazim Saddar Town Mohammad Farooq Fariya admitted that the water shortage crisis in the town had been aggravating as the water and sanitation department had failed to take any effective measures to improve the situation.
He said the people were getting restive due to lack of interest on the part of officials concerned.
In Lyari Town, despite all efforts, residents of many areas complained about water shortage. The residents of Baghdadi Union Council, particularly, those of Fida Hussain Shaikha Road complained that they were not getting water supply on alternate day basis, an arrangement which was made for the locality after serious disturbances on water started last summer.
In Darayabad and Shah Beg Union Council areas, there is no improvement in water supply position and people complained that water supplied to the affected areas was insufficient to meet their needs.
The situation in the Keamari Town, which has been the hub of agitation for water scarcity, remained unchanged despite the assurance by the city government that effective measures would be taken to overcome the water crisis.
CLOSURE: The localities where water supply would remain suspended on Monday under weekly water-holiday system include all blocks of North Nazimabad, Federal B’ Area, Nazimabad, Shadman Town and Buffer Zone.
KARACHI, June 22: Sindh Chief Secretary Dr Mutawakil Qazi on Sunday directed the city government’s water and sanitation department’s executive district officer to take immediate measures for plugging leakages in water distribution system which accounts for 20 to 30 per cent of the city’s total water supply.
