KARACHI, April 17: The schedule of water supply to various parts of the city has been disturbed due to frequent power failures taking place at the KWSB’s pumping stations in different localities. Admitting that unannounced and prolonged power failures in different localities had made it impossible for the KWSB to ensure uninterrupted and equitable distribution of water, sources in the water utility said localities often remain dry for three to four days since they were provided water on their next turn.

The water board officials said they had repeatedly requested the KESC to exempt major water installations and pumping stations from load-shedding, but it seemed it was beyond the KESC’s control.

They said power failures had become a matter of routine for the last one week in Gulshan-i-Iqbal, North Nazimabad, Federal B Area, North Karachi and old city areas.

People residing in multi-storeyed buildings in the affected localities complained that frequent and prolonged power failures in the current hot and sultry weather had made their life miserable, as no power meant no water.

Residents also complained that the KESC had been resorting to unannounced load-shedding at a time when the class-IX and Xth examinations were in progress, and such prolonged power failures were bound to affect the performance of students taking the crucial exams.

Recalling that the City Nazim, Niamatullah Khan, had himself recently urged the KESC high-ups to refrain from unannounced load-shedding following complaints of parents of students, taking the said exams, they said it seemed the nazim’s request had only fallen on deaf ears.

SHORTAGE: Various parts of the city on Sunday either went without water or received scant supply providing private water tankers a chance to mint money in the water-starved localities.

A KWSB spokesman attributed the water shortage in various localities on Sunday to an over 10-hour long power breakdown that had occurred at Dhabeji pump house on Friday.

He said the city had suffered a shortfall of about 50 million gallons on Saturday after pumping from the pumping station remained suspended from 9.15pm on Friday to 7.20am on Saturday.

Though the pinch of the shortfall was felt in various parts of the city, the localities which suffered the most included various blocks of Gulshan-i-Iqbal and Clifton, a number of sectors of North Karachi, parts of the old city area, Mehmoodabad, Shah Faisal Colony, Bath Island, Landhi and Korangi.

However, residents of most of the affected complained that though the KWSB claimed the city had suffered a shortfall water on Saturday due to load-shedding at Dhabeji pump house, their localities had been experiencing acute water shortage for the last one week.

Complaints of water shortage were also received from residents of the Defence Housing Authority Phase-II (Extension) and various sectors of the Baldia and Orangi towns.

Residents of the DHA Phase-II (Extension) complained that in the wake of scant water supply they had no choice but to spend considerably on the purchase of water from private tankers.