KARACHI, Aug 20: Water shortage and disposal of sewage are two pressing problems in old city areas which call for immediate solution.

This was stated here by Saddar Town Nazim Mohammad Dilawar after visiting water-logged localities of the town on Sunday.

He said that water disposal system in old city areas depended on Jamila pumping station having 100-year-old rising main, which had developed cracks at several points. Besides, he said that it was seven-feet below the sea-level and Lyari River, thus it faced tremendous pressure to flush out sewage.

He pointed out that frequent power breakdowns had also badly affected the working of the pumping station and it often caused the sewerage problems in the locality.

He said that the maintenance of Jamila pumping station needed Rs600 million and the town could not manage such a huge amount. For this purpose, the nazim said, “We have approached the federal as well as the provincial governments.”

The nazim said that uplift schemes would be badly affected if there would be no improvement in sewerage system as was witnessed in the current monsoon rains. He said that all-out efforts should be made to overcome water shortage and sewage disposal.