KARACHI, Sept 1: Several parts of the city faced acute water shortage for the fourth consecutive day on Thursday, forcing people to either consume sub-soil water or purchase it from private tankers.

The affected areas include Clifton’s Block-2, parts of Akhtar Colony, Mehmoodabad, Chanesor Goth, Khokarapar, Malir, Saudia Colony, Model Colony, Landhi, Korangi, Ranchorre Lane, Kharadar and different sectors of North Karachi.

The people of these areas said they had been facing the shortage of water since the beginning of summer due to some technical fault, but KWSB officials had failed to rectify it.

The residents of Clifton Block-2 attributed the water problem to illegal supply lines taken by some influential people of the locality. Though the KWSB had launched a campaign against this illegal act, the drive could not yield the desired results, they added.

They accused KWSB lower staff of providing illegal water connections to the influential people and some commercial concerns from the main line. Such practises affected the flow of water to the people living at the tail end of the area, they said.

The residents of Akhtar Colony and Mehmoodabad said that despite repeated complaints, the KWSB had not taken measures to ensure uninterrupted water supply.

The affected people said the acute shortage of water had left them no choice but to use sub-soil unhygienic water at the cost of their health or purchase it from private tankers at exorbitant rates.

A KWSB official claims that the city has been getting normal supply of water from both the Indus and Hub sources. He attributes the shortage problem to faulty distribution system. All the localities of the city will receive equitable share if the schedule of water supply is implemented in letter and spirit, he says.