KARACHI, April 21: The water supply position in various parts of the city continues to deteriorate, forcing residents of water-starved localities to either purchase water from private tankers at exorbitant rates or drink sub-soil unhygienic water at the cost of their health.
The localities where acute water shortage has been persisting for the last one-and-a-half months include Bath Island’s Gulshan-i-Faisal, Clifton’s block 2, North Nazimabad’s blocks B, C, H, L, S and T, Gulshan-i-Iqbal’s blocks 2, 4-A, 13-D, 13/D/1, different blocks of Gulistan-i-Jauhar, North Karachi’s Union Council No 2, Orangi Town’s Sector 11 ½, Ittehad Colony, Mehmoodabad, Ashraf Colony, Pakistan Chowk, Haqani Chowk, Pak Colony, SITE residential and industrial areas, Saudia Colony’s sectors 8-A, 8-B, 9, Madina Colony and Mohammadi Colony.
Though most parts of the city have either been getting scant supply or are without water for over a month, KWSB officials concerned were suggesting the residents of affected localities and multi-storied apartment buildings to apply for new water connections once the city would start getting 100 million gallons of water per day from the K-III project.
Inquiries made in this regard showed that some KWSB engineers were concentrating more on the projects being undertaken under Tameer-i-Karachi Programme instead of giving top priority to their basic task of ensuring equal distribution of water in the localities.
It was further learnt that the main cause of deteriorating water supply situation in most parts of the city was that KWSB engineers, who often remain occupied with the projects being carried out under the TKP, had literally given the entire valve operation under the control of valve-men.
In absence of supervision, the valve-men of various localities were managing the valve operation system at their whim.
Residents of affected localities complained that valve-men were heavily bribed by certain builders or unions of multi-storied apartment buildings on monthly basis for tempering with valve operation at the cost of others residing in the nearby houses or apartments.
“If we refuse to pay the bribe to the valve-man concerned, he creates an artificial water shortage,” alleged an employee of a builder of a huge apartment building, situated in Gulshan-i-Iqbal’s Block-13/D.
Mentioning about persisting water shortage in Gulshan-i-Iqbal, a resident of a multi-storied building said that when he lodged a complaint with KWSB Managing Director Brig Iftikhar Haider, he immediately sent the XEN (Water-I) to look into the lingering water issue of his apartment building where 575 families reside, but the official expressed his inability to improve water supply situation, instead he suggested that a well should be dug up to overcome the water shortage or apply for one more water connection after the city starts getting 100mgd of water from K-III project.
When the residents of the building argued with the XEN that the sub-soil water might create health problems for the residents of the building, he replied: “Most of apartment buildings of Gulistan-i-Jauhar and Gulshan-i-Iqbal are meeting their water needs through wells,” the resident added.
People residing in multi-storied buildings of Gulshan-i-Iqbal, Gulistan-i-Jauhar and other water-starved localities have urged the city nazim to direct KWSB officials to help solve their lingering water issue.
Meanwhile, Jamshed Town Nazim Altaf Zakir directed Karachi Water and Sewerage Board officials to take appropriate measures for overcoming the water shortage in different areas of the town, adds APP.
The town nazim took serious notice of water shortage in various areas of Mehmoodabad, Jat Line, particularly sectors 2-A, 2-B and 2-D of Lines Area.
He directed the concerned officials that if immediate restoration of sufficient water supply to these areas was not possible, at least some steps should be taken to ease the situation.
Among others, KWSB Superintendent Engineer Qamar Fareedi attended the meeting.