April 06, 2008	Sunday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 28, 1429

BADIN, April 5: With the advent of summer, water crisis in Badin town has made people’s life miserable.

The water shortage was largely attributed to the non-availability of water in the Kazia Canal, hence no water in ponds.

A government official on condition of anonymity told this correspondent that water supply would be stopped if water was not released in the canal as the water tanks had dried up.

He said 1.8 to 2 million gallons of water was being supplied in 24-hour to meet the demand of 125,000 people in Badin.

Out of five pumping motors installed there, three were out of order while only two electric motors were sucking water from the canal and supplying it to the people.

The tanker mafia, on the other hand, was doing a roaring business.

People interviewed by this correspondent, said although the taluka municipal administration was recovering the water tax, it failed to construct more capacity for water storage to meet the requirement of population.Nazir Ahmed of Ward-6 said that a donkey cart sells a tank of 12 gallon water for Rs200.

When contacted, the director of SIDA (Sindh Irrigation and Drainage Authority), Jam Mitha Khan, said that 500 to 600 cusecs water was released in Badin canals on rotation because of scarcity of water in Indus.

However, he accused the town committee Badin for not storing water during rotation in the Kazia canal.

He said that under special circumstances, he was releasing some water in the canal to meet drinking water needs of Badin people.