KARACHI, April 7: At a time when various parts of the city are facing acute water shortage in the current hot and humid weather, the officials of the KWSB’s tax department in their bid to generate more revenue have started suspending water supply to those who had already paid their water bills.
For instance, residents of a housing project — Ruby Centre — situated in Federal B. Area’s Block 7, having over 50 flats, have been deprived of water for the last four days.
The reason for suspending the water supply to the building is stated to be non-payment of water charges by about 50 per cent the flat-owners. However, those residents who have already paid the water charges argued that what was the rationale behind depriving them of water in the persisting sultry weather.
Terming the KWSB’s decision of suspending water supply to the entire apartment building ‘uncalled for’ and ‘illegal’, they maintained that they were unable to understand why those consumers who had already paid the water charges should suffer on account of the defaulters.
They suggested to the KWSB to devise a mechanism for penalizing the defaulters of water charges, instead of punishing those who owed nothing to the organization.
The residents urged City Nazim Naimatullah Khan and KWSB managing-director to order the concerned officials not to punish the law-abiding citizens on the fault of others and restore the water supply forthwith as they could not afford private tankers which were being sold at exorbitant rates.
WATER SHORTAGE: Acute water shortage persists in various parts of the city.
The hard-hit areas include North Karachi’s sector 11-C-1 (Sir Syed Colony); sectors 5-A and 5-C in Buffer Zone; Erum Apartments (phase-I), situated in Gulshan-i-Iqbal’s Block 13-A; Shabbirabad, Bangalore Town, and blocks 14, 15, 17, 18 and 20 of the Federal B. Area and Clifton’s Block 2.
Residents of Erum Apartments complained that none of the 75 flats had received a single drop of water during the last six days.
According to residents of Federal B. Area’s affected blocks, water was being supplied on alternative days with a very low pressure.
Suspecting some foul play in valve operation, the F.B. Area residents alleged that their localities were facing water shortage because of diversion of huge quantity of water to the industrial area.
Complaints of persisting water shortage have also been received from different parts of Orangi and Surjani Towns.
Residents of Orangi’s sector 11 1/2 deplored that although they had been experiencing acute water shortage for the last three weeks, the KWSB officials have not yet taken measures to ensure uninterrupted supply to their localities.
Residents of the affected areas said it was beyond their comprehension that on the one hand their localities were being deprived of water and on the other water supply to the KWSB hydrants never got affected.
A visit to the KWSB hydrants, situated in Muslimabad and Sakhi Hassan, would show that a fleet of tankers continues to draw water from it, giving an impression to the public that the KWSB was more interested in ensuring uninterrupted water supply to the hydrants than to the residential areas.
Moreover, the movement of water tankers, both private and Rangers’ public service tankers, on the roads has also increased, indicating the gravity of water supply situation.