KARACHI, March 21: An acute water shortage has been persisting in Shah Beg Lane Union Council areas, Lyari Town, despite repeated assurances of authorities that the problem would be solved on emergency basis.

The worst affected area is Ali Mohammad Mohalla, where people have been suffering for want of drinking water over a decade. In every summer, the crisis aggravates forcing people to adopt the course of agitation.

A member of Mohalla Committee said that the locality was linked with Kharadar pumping station through a separate line for which fund had also been provided. However, water supply to the locality could not be restored because of "intervention of some influential elements," he complained.

He said that work on a supply line linking Ali Mohammad Mohalla with Kharadar pumping station which started some time ago had been abruptly stopped due to the alleged interference of Nazim of Baghdadi Union Council and some other local bodies members.

He further said, "If water is not supplied to the locality through new lines commissioned last year, we would have no other option but to stop the water supply of other localities."

According to him, the locality is being supplied water through tankers at present, which is insufficient to meet the needs of area residents. An infuriated resident of the area complained that for the last two decades the inhabitants of Ali Mohammad Mohalla had been denied of drinking water facility on political grounds because the locality had always been hub of agitational activity of opposition parties.

Akhtar Baloch, a social figure of the locality, said that it was a sheer political victimization. He said, "Every new government or new party after taking over the charge used to make promises that it would solve the water shortage problem within a few weeks or month.

However, these commitments had never been honoured, he said adding that even some of the areas are still without internal connections. An acute water shortage problem has also been persisting in surrounding areas of Ahmed Shah Bukhari Road, Eidu Lane and Phulpatti Lane for last many years.

It may be recalled here that serious water disturbances had taken place in these areas last year. Many roads were blocked and tyres were burnt in protest against water shortage in Lyari last year.

Residents of some affected areas blamed the water mafia and valvemen for creating an artificial water crisis by diverting the water share of their locality to some other areas. They said that defective water distribution system and illegal connections were the main cause behind the water shortage in some areas of Lyari.