HYDERABAD, Feb 18: The people faced hardships as water supply remained to be fully restored in many areas of the city on Tuesday following the disconnection of power supply of Sindh government departments, including Water and Sanitation Agency, by Hesco.

Hesco started restoring power supply to the departments on Monday evening after Sindh chief secretary Dr Mutawakal Kazi assured Hesco chief executive Tariq Arshad over telephone that Rs250 million would be paid by the government on Wednesday.

It was learnt on Wednesday that Hesco received Rs250 million in respect of essential services such as the taluka municipal administration, sewerage, drainage and water supply. Hesco was given an assurance that the remaining amount would soon be paid.

Hesco sources told this correspondent that the Sindh government had yet to pay 70 per cent of the dues it promised at a meting on Jan 5. They said Hesco would again disconnect power supply if the government did not pay the amount.

Water works of Wasa are the worst affected as they deal with the city's water supply system and power shutdown by Hesco leads to acute shortage of water not only in residential areas but also in government and private hospitals.

There has been no water supply for the last two days to the Civil Hospital of Hyderabad. A Hyderabad Civil Hospital doctor said the hospital administration had arranged partial water supply through tankers for some wards given the nature of their emergency such as gynaecology ward, labour room, intensive care unit and operation theatres.