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KARACHI, May 11: An illegal hydrant, known as Mashallah Hydrant, has been causing acute water shortage in Orangi and Baldia as it draws bulk water from the two main pipelines meant for supplying water to the two sprawling townships.
According to the officials of the city government’s Water and Sanitation department, Mashallah Hydrant had obtained two illegal connections of three-inch dia each — one from a 66-inch dia water main and another from a 48-inch dia water main.
As both the pipelines are the main source of water supply to Orangi and Baldia, a substantial quantity of water is drawn by the hydrant from these two pipelines, thereby hindering the supply of the townships whose turn of getting the supply comes after every 72 hours.
Asked why no action was being taken against the illegal hydrant, the officials said that they had twice disconnected both the illegal connections but the hydrant’s owner got them restored illegally.
KORANGI: Another hydrant set up on Plot Nos. LS- 21/22 (ST-7), Sector 48-B, Korangi No 2 (Union Council-4) was doing brisk business at the cost of water share of the local residents.
The residents of UC-4 have complained that since the hydrant is fetching water from their locality’s pipeline, they often remain deprived of water and hence have no choice but to either consume sub-soil unhygienic water at the cost of their health or buy tankers’ water at exorbitant rates.
“It is beyond my comprehension that the hydrant’s business is thriving on illegal connection from our locality’s pipeline, the officials of the Water and Sanitation Department are not taking any action against the owner of the hydrant,” one of the perturbed residents remarked.
People of the affected locality demanded of the city Nazim and the W&S Department’s executive district officer to take action against the hydrant to ensure a smooth and uninterrupted supply to their locality.
DEMO: Residents of Lyari’s Ali Mohammad Mohalla (UC-6) on Sunday staged a protest demonstration to register their anguish over the non-availability of water in their area.
The protesters, who had assembled in front of Karachi Press Club, raised slogans against the concerned officials of the Water and Sanitation Department.
They criticized the MNA and MPA of their area as well as the Nazim and Naib Nazim of UC-6 for taking no interest in resolving their lingering water issue.
The protesters, including children, were carrying placards and banners inscribed with slogans: Pani Do, Pani Do and Don’t deprive us of water, etc.
CLOSURE: The localities which would not be supplied water on Monday under weekly water-holiday system include all blocks of North Nazimabad, Federal B Area, North Karachi’s Shadman Town and parts of Nazimabad.
