April 28, 2008	Monday	Rabi-us-Sani 21, 1429

SUKKUR, April 27: Almost 80 per cent people of the city and adjoining areas have not received drinking water for ten days and as many as 13 demonstrations were held by the affected people from Thursday to Sunday outside the offices of union councils and district council.

In New Taluka Sukkur, water supply from Maka Goth Water Works Phase-IV has been suspended since April 18, adversely affecting the residents of Maka Goth, Adam Shah Colony, Nawan Goth, Shah Khalid Colony, Bihar Colony, Military Road, Shamsabad, Waritar Road, Choona Bhatta, Golimar and SITE area.

The district government had approved a scheme in 2003 for installing tube-wells near Kheer Thar Canal to ensure supply of clean drinking water for the residents of new Taluka Sukkur and had allocated Rs3 million for the purpose but work had not yet started on the scheme.

The affected people appealed to the newly-elected government to probe the matter and ask taluka nazim of New Taluka Sukkur about where did the funds go and why work on the scheme had not been started so far.

In Taluka Sukkur City, residents of Takker Mohalla, Ayoob Gate, Anwer Piracha Road, New Pind, Islam Ganj, Old Post Office, Tek Chand Street, Queens Road, Mission Road, Frere Road, Shahi Bazaar, Miani Road, Nishter Road, Barrage Road, Gharibabad, Neem-Ki-Chari, Stadium Road, Dhak Road and other areas face acute shortage of drinking water after a main supply pipeline burst near Government Anwer Piracha Hospital Sukkur on Saturday. It burst in the course of digging up of the road for laying a sewerage line.

Work on the repair of the pipeline has started but supply did not restore to the affected areas till the filing this report. The two talukas of Sukkur get Rs22 million a month as their share in Octroi Zila Tax (OZT) out of which Rs3 million were allocated for water supply but due to misuse of funds people continue to face water shortage.