KARACHI, Dec 7: Private water tankers on Sunday did a roaring business as various parts of the city either went without water or received scant supply.

The hard-hit localities included Clifton’s Block 2, PECHS Block 6 (green-belt area), Gizri (upper), parts of Mehmoodabad, Manzoor Colony, Defence View, Bhadaurabad No 3, Shershah, Baldia, different localities of Orangi Town’s UC 9, North Karachi’s sectors 7D-1, 7D-2, parts of sectors 11A and 11B, Buffer Zone’s sector 14-A (Shadman Town), Gulshan-i-Iqbal’s blocks 4 and 4-A, Gulistan-i-Jauhar’s blocks 16 and 17 and different areas of the Old City Area.

Residents of affected localities complained that although acute water shortage had been persisting in their localities for one week, the officials concerned of the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board had not yet taken measures to restore normal supply.

“In fact, in the absence of water we have no choice but to either purchase private water tankers at exorbitant rates or consume sub-soil unhygienic water at the cost of our health,” said an elderly person of Defence View.

“Water tankers which are in great demand in different parts of the city, are charging exorbitant rates and causing extensive damage to different roads of our locality,” a resident of Gulshan-i-Iqbal’s Block 14 complained, adding that water tankers fetching water from the LSR hydrant had already ruined a two-way carriage near Mashrique Shopping Centre.

OVERFLOWS: Filthy water overflowing from chocked gutters and storm-water drains has spread on a number of major thoroughfares of the city, causing damage to the roads and inconvenience to motorists.