KARACHI, July 26: Persisting water shortage at Budhni village in Keamari Town has made the life of dwellers miserable. A majority of people buy water through private water tankers.

We are receiving little water once a week through government-laid water supply lines and it is insufficient for domestic use", a social worker told newsmen. "We have a pile of applications which we have sent to concerned authorities but without success as the government officials do not have time to look into the matter," the social worker said.

Budhni is one of the old localities of Karachi, situated off Hawkesbay road, Mauripur Karachi. Another social worker said that the City District Government as well as Town Nazim of Keamari Town have nothing to give to dwellers of this neglected village.

Talking about the health facilities for the village women, a woman social worker, said, "lives of poor women have always been at stake as doctor comes daily for a few hours, but in any kind of emergency in night, women have to pay more price of government's negligence.

There is a basic health unit spread over three acres, built in 1985 but it is inadequate to provide health facilities to the community, as the centre needs more medicines and other equipment to meet the requirements.

Ms Razia Khaskheli said if the health centre is developed with proper experienced staff, it can also be beneficial for the people of neighbouring localities, including Dilfulabad, Brohi Mohalla, Naval Colony and newly-developed Musharraf Colony.

Razia said "at least 100 women from the Budhni village perform duties at warehouses while the same number of the women are engaged in their traditional broom and mat-making occupation at their homes.

They earn little amount to help their families. Looking to their painstaking work, it can be suggested that they need proper health facilities at their doorstep to save their lives.

Mohammed Ramzan, another social worker said, "our forefathers took an active part in the development of this mega-city of Karachi, but in return we, their successors, are being deprived of our basic rights of living here. The area, having a population of about 10,000 needs special attention of the government, and the people have urged the authorities to come to their rescue. - PPI