06 March 2004	Saturday	14 Muharram 1425

KARACHI, March 5: The Karachi Water and Sewerage Board has postponed the schedule of water closure for Orangi, Baldia and SITE towns, which was to take effect from March 5 for 72 hours.

According to the KWSB announcement, the water supply in these towns will now remain closed from March 15 to 17. Moreover, it was announced that the supply of water from Hub to Hub Canal would remain suspended from March 15 to 20 for carrying out inter-connection of rising main of new Manghopir pumping station with the old rising main.

However, according to a decision taken at a meeting chaired by City Nazim Naimatullah Khan, the supply of water to the affected areas will be restored in the morning on March 18 from Indus source while the supply of 100mgd water from Hub source will be fully restored to the three towns from March 20.

The meeting was attended by KWSB Managing Director Brig Asif Ghazali, KWSB Deputy MD (Technical Service) Salman Chandio and other officials. The decision to change the water closure schedule was taken, as the Hub Canal would remain closed from March 15 to 20 during which the leakages in pipelines at Banaras Chowk and installation of valve would be completed.

The board has appealed to people to conserve water to meet their requirements during the water closure period. Meanwhile, Brig Asif Ghazali along with Salman Chandio, Mushtaq Memon, Ali Mohammed Palejo, Amjad Habib, Farrukh Naim and other engineers visited the new Manghopir pumping station.

Mr Ghazali said that the pumping station, which was being constructed with Japanese assistance, should be completed keeping the future requirements in view.

He directed that power generator at Hub pumping station be immediately repaired and said it should be used during power shutdown so that supply of water could continue without interruption. He called for strengthening of the pumping station's boundary walls along with installation of search lights. - APP