KARACHI, Oct 31: At a time when the number of tankers supplying water under the general public tankers service (GPTS) is continuously on the decline, the rates of commercial tankers drawing water from Rangers-manned hydrants have been raised unilaterally, leaving no choice for residents of water-deficit pockets but to purchase water at exorbitant rates.

Terming the Rangers decision of enhancing filling charges of commercial tankers ‘uncalled for’ and ‘unjust’, a senior KWSB official expressed his ignorance whether the City Nazim, Syed Mustafa Kamal, who is also chairman of the KWSB, was consulted by the Rangers before increasing the rates.

It may be mentioned that hydrants under the control of Rangers belong to the KWSB.

The rates of tankers operating under the GPTS from all nine Rangers-manned hydrants are comparatively lesser than commercial tankers supplying water from there.

However, residents of water-deficit areas usually purchase commercial tankers to meet daily water requirements, as their requests for providing water under GPTS often remain unattended for at least two to three days and sometimes even for a week.

The vast difference between the number of tankers supplying water from the Rangers-controlled hydrants under the GPTS and on commercial basis can be gauged from the fact that there are hardly 3,000 to 4,000 tankers under the GPTS while the number of commercial tankers is between 15,000 and 20,000.

The official rate of a single tanker (GPTS) of 1,000 gallons is Rs275, double tanker (2,000 gallons) is Rs375 and triple tanker (3,000 gallons) is Rs550.

But, since the number of tankers under the GPTS is very less than commercial tankers, residents wishing to get tankers under the GPTS are usually told to wait for their turn, which normally comes after two to three days. As such, they are compelled to purchase water from commercial tankers at exorbitant rates.

Tanker owners said they had to increase the rates of commercial tankers after Rangers increased filling charges at hydrants being manned by them.

According to them, filling charges for commercial tankers have been increased from Rs50-65 for a single tanker; Rs100-130 for a double tanker and Rs150-195 for a triple tanker.

However, it was shocking to note that though the Rangers have increased Rs15, Rs30 and Rs45 on filling of single, double and triple commercial tankers, respectively, the tanker mafia was taking undue advantage of the situation and were charging Rs50, Rs100 and Rs200 for single, double and triple commercial tankers respectively.

Shortly after filling charges for commercial tankers were increased by the Rangers, a single tanker previously available for Rs400 was now being sold at Rs450, the rate of a double tanker was increased from Rs700 to Rs800, and that of a triple tanker was increased from Rs1,000 to Rs1,200.

A number of localities including Clifton, Defence, parts of Gulshan-i-Iqbal, Model Colony, Karachi Administration Society, various cooperative housing societies, Akhtar Colony, parts of Federal B’ Area, Surjani, Baldia and Gulistan-i-Jauhar, that depend on water tanker service, will be the worst-sufferers due to increase in water tanker charges.

“Isn’t it amazing that water tanker rates have been increased in Ramazan despite the fact that even President Pervez Musharraf had sometime back taken serious notice of the tankers’ mafia, and had underscored the need for crushing them,” remarked a resident of a water-deficient locality.