KARACHI May 24: Nazim of Karachi Syed Mustafa Kamal has announced that those areas of Lyari which had been facing water scarcity for the last 50 years will get an additional supply of six million gallons of water daily within 45 days.

He said he hoped that with the increase of the quota up to 20mgd, the water shortage problem in Lyari would be solved for the next 30 years.

Addressing media men on his visit to review the work of a water line being laid to provide additional 6mgd water to Lyari on Wednesday, he said that this project had been launched eight months ago but due to hurdles created by certain elements, it was delayed. However, the work had now been accelerated and “as we have already completed 75 per cent work, every home of Lyari will now get potable water with the completion of this project worth Rs208 million within the next 45 days.

“We are not indulging in any politics. During the last 21 months, I have served the city’s each and every citizen, and even now this process continues,” said Mr Kamal, adding: “Though we have none of the councillors in Lyari, this area has been facing water shortage for the last 50 years and when God has given us authority, it is our responsibility to solve problems of all citizens and each area of the city.

“Lyari has been suffering from scarcity of water for long. Therefore, it was allotted the maximum quota from the K-III project. Before this, Lyari was supplied water through three different lines and still there were complaints about non-supply of water in some areas. But now we have made all arrangements to save this water line for Lyari and with that no one will be able to get illegal connection from this line,” the nazim said. “We have done this under a planning so that no other area could get illegal connection from the line laid to provide a special water quota to Lyari and to ensure full 6mgd water to Lyari,” he added.He further said that due to the service of all citizens without any discrimination and the development works carried out in Karachi, this city had emerged as a new business hub.

“The conspiracies by some certain elements to halt the process of development here will fail, the journey of development and service to people living in Karachi will continued at an even faster pace,” the nazim said.

In reply to a question, the city nazim said there was no conflict among the various sections of the population in Karachi, and it was only conspiracies hatched by some elements. But the people living here were not up against one another. They were living in harmony and this environment would be maintained.

The nazim said that “we have solved the basic problems of each area and towns on an equal basis while those areas have been given priority where water shortage complaints have been on the rise”.

For the first time in 50 years, the Haq Parast leadership had focused on solving the basic problems of the people, he added. — PPI