KARACHI, Jan 29: Sindh chief minister's adviser for local government affairs, Wasim Akhtar, has directed the officials of the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board to expedite the pipelines' repair works in Orangi Town.

Presiding over a meeting at his office, he also urged the officials to immediately help provide water connections in the Orangi Town's Labour Colony.On being apprised by Orangi Town's Nazim, Sheikh Mohammad Feroze, that a considerable quantity of water for the township is wasted as there are about 2,300 leakages in various pipelines, the advisor asked the KWSB's chief engineer to ensure that all such leakages were plugged without further loss of time so that the residents of the sprawling township might not face water shortage.

Admitting that 185 leakages exist in just one pipeline of 12-inch dia, the KWSB's chief engineer said that efforts were being made to repair them immediately.

On this occasion, the adviser asked Orangi Town's Nazim to identify all such leakages in the knowledge of KWSB prior to construction of long-life roads and also before undertaking carpeting of other roads.

He also directed KWSB officials to immediately plug the pipeline in the vicinity of the women's park being constructed at an estimated cost of Rs2.5 million.

SCARCITY: Hussain D' Silva Town's block P has been experiencing acute water shortage for the last six months. The residents complained that although their locality often remained dry for four to five days in a week, the KWSB's officials concerned were taking no measures to rectify the situation despite a number of complaints lodged with them. They demanded of the KWSB's managing director to direct the officials concerned to restore normal supply before Eid.