SUKKUR, Nov 19: An acute shortage of drinking water has hit Khanpur Mahar town of Ghotki district where many pumping machines have stopped functioning.

Reports from the town said that out of seven machines operated by the public health engineering department under the administrative control of the Taluka Municipal Administration, six had gone out of order 10 days back suspending water supply to a population of around 50,000 people. On Monday, the lone functional machine also broke down due to overload rendering the entire town without water, the reports said.

The situation has turned into a crisis, said a group of residents who thronged one of the many outlets in the town offering a water container for Rs50-70.

Sources in the TMA said that a sum of Rs0.6 million per month was released to the administration for the maintenance and repair of the pumping machines but the fund was not being utilised properly and this had finally caused collapse of the supply system.

The TMO concerned could not be reached for his comment as his cellphone appeared switched off.

Meanwhile, Jacobabad Deputy Commissioner Rafique Ahmed Buriro presided over a meeting of citizens’ representatives in his office on Sunday and recorded their grievances regarding civic issues like unavailability or shortage of drinking water, lack of cleanliness, out of order streetlights etc.

The meeting was attended by SSP Jacobabad Mohammad Younus Chandio, Taluka Municipal Officer Abdul Ghaffar Thaheem, Mukhtiarkar Ghulam Abbas Sadhayo, Civil Surgeon Nizamuddin Almani, President of Shehri Ittehad Muhammad Akram Abro, President of the Jacobabad Chamber of Commerce Ahmed Ali Brohi, Jacobabad Bar Association leader Ahmed Nawaz Pechuho, JUI leader Dr A.G. Ansari, Sarafa Association President Samiullah Surhio, Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz leader Ghulam Sarwar Mastoi, Hindu Punchayat leader Harpall Das, former Hindu General Punchayat president Lal Chand Seetlani, Comrade Ajeet Kumar, Rice Mills Mazdoor Union leader Haji Mashooq Kharani and leaders and activists of various political, social, religious and trade organizations, besides officials of taluka municipal administration.

The DC informed them that a USAID team visited Jacobabad a few days back with a view to launch a mega project in the city. He said that USAID was executing various development schemes pertaining to water supply, sewerage and drainage systems.

He directed the TMO to ensure cleanliness across the city by removing heaps of garbage and encroachments immediately.

He also ordered establishment of a complaint centre to enable citizens to lodge their complaints of any minor or major problems and get them resolved immediately.

He held out the assurance that the vendors removed from Tower Road a couple of days back would be provided alternative places for their livelihood.

The citizens’ representatives complained that the funds for water supply system and it maintenance were being misappropriated and this was causing immense hardship to the population of Jacobabad who were being made to buy water at exorbitant rates.

They noted that water supply schemes were serving only influential landlords.

They also informed the DC that sanitation and cleanliness work was not being done due to nonpayment of salaries for several months to the staff concerned.

The DC assured them that their grievances would be addressed at the earliest.