GWADAR: Talks between the local administration and representatives of water tanker owners failed on Friday after the latter refused to end their strike and resume supply from Mirani dam to the port city of Gwadar and adjoining areas unless all their outstanding dues were cleared by the government.

The water supply to the port city and its adjoining areas has stood suspended for the past two months because of the non-payment of water tanker owners’ outstanding dues of millions of rupees since long and poor security situation. The water tanker owners have been demanding full payment of their dues before the resumption of water supply to the area.

Because of the ongoing dispute between the government and water tanker owners, the people of Gwadar and other adjacent areas have been facing serious problems.

During the talks, the local authorities told the striking tanker owners that the government would soon make payment to them through cheques, but water tanker representatives say they would resume water supply after their cheques were cleared by banks and they received cash.

Talking to Dawn, the Executive Engineer of Public Health Engineering, Shakeel Ahmed Baloch, said that efforts were under way to resolve the water issue being faced by the people of Gwadar. He said that because of the strike of tanker owners, the people of Gwadar and other areas were facing serious difficulties.

“We are making all out efforts to restore water supply to Gwadar from Mirani dam, located near Turbat in Kech district,” Mr Baloch said.

Meanwhile, the people of Gwadar continued their protest sit-in and blocked the main road against suspension of water supply to the city.

Another reason for acute water shortage being faced by the area people was drying up of Okra Kaur dam, which used to be a major source of potable water to the people, because of no rainfall for the last one year in the dam’s catchment areas.

Published in Dawn, November 25th, 2017