February 08, 2008	Friday	Muharram 29, 1429

KARACHI, Feb 7: Several roads and streets around the Rangers-manned hydrants have been ruined due to the leaking nozzles of the tankers drawing water from these pumps and causing immense difficulties to people living in those areas.

Observers may recall that a decision to hand over the nine hydrants back to their actual custodian i.e. the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) was taken more than a year ago. It was decided that the water utility after taking over the charge from the Rangers, would close down all those hydrants, which were located in the residential areas. Unfortunately, the decision still awaits implementation for reasons best known to the people at the helm of affairs.

A number of these hydrants are located in residential areas, four of them in Federal B Area’s Block 10, near water pump traffic intersection; North Nazimabad near Sakhi Hassan intersection and the two in Muslimabad.

People residing in the affected localities complained that the drivers of the water tankers not only parked their vehicles in a haphazard manner but often blocked the entry and exit points to their localities.

They charged that the water leaking from the tankers posed a serious threat to the lives of the masses as due to the leakage the roads remained slippery and were responsible for a number of accidents. The frequent movement of tankers had, on the one hand, caused extensive damage to the streets and the surrounding roads and, on the other, unhygienic and filthy environment continued to prevail in their localities, the said.

Residents of different localities such as Muslimabad, Catholic Colony, Shikarpur Colony, Amil Colony and Khudadad Colony have also complained of an excessive use of pressure horns and foul language by the drivers and cleaners of these tankers.

It has also been observed that in many areas traffic remains stuck due to the haphazard parking of these heavy vehicles adding to the problems of the already perturbed Karachiites.

The major thoroughfares extensively damaged owing to the frequent movement of tankers drawing water from the two Muslimabad hydrants, include Khudadad Colony’s road, Dadabhoy Nauroji Road, a major portion of Shahrah-i-Quaideen and the entire peripheral road of the Society Office roundabout.

Denouncing the authorities concerned for not taking immediate measures for the shifting of the hydrants from the residential areas, people said that some fatal accident might take place in the surrounding streets of Muslimabad and Catholic Colony as the tanker drivers often indulged in reckless driving despite the fact that a number of schools were located in both localities.