KARACHI, Aug 4: With a view to overcome the Hub Dam’s water crisis, the committee for Hub water supply has decided to draw water from the source on a turn-by-turn basis for both Karachi and Lasbella canal.
Under the new system, which will be implemented in a couple of days, both Karachi and Lasbella canal will be supplied 45 million gallons of water daily from the source for three and two days, respectively, in a week. This was decided by additional chief secretary, Sindh, Shahzado Shaikh, in his capacity as chairman of Hub water supply committee.
Shortly, with the implementation of the new water supply system from the Hub source, the Rangers will start monitoring the water supply and the law and order situation in Orangi and Baldia Towns as both these sprawling townships are hooked to the Hub source, sources said.
In addition to the 45mgd of water, which both Orangi and Baldia Towns will get for three days in a week from the Hub source, these areas will be supplied water for another two days in a week from the Indus source via the Ajmair Nagri pumping station.
Moreover, arrangements were being made to improve water supply position of other areas hooked to the Hub source — North Karachi and Surjani Towns — by diverting water from the Indus to these localities through the Ajmair Nagri pumping station.
Meanwhile, the KWSB sources said the Board and the Rangers have started finalizing arrangements to revive ‘Awami’ tanks which were constructed in 1999-2000 to overcome the water crisis of the areas hooked to the Hub Dam source.
These ‘awami’ tanks were constructed under a water management crisis programme when the Hub Dam had gone dry in 1999-2000, but they have become redundant owing to their poor maintenance and now a huge amount would be required to clean and repair them, the sources added.
Arrangements were also being made to ensure water supply to the tail-end areas of Orangi through bouzers. About 2000 bouzers are already at the disposal of the Rangers for meeting the water needs of the water-deficit pockets of Orangi and Baldia townships.
KWSB PLEA: Meanwhile, the KWSB has asked the Sindh irrigation department to immediately switch back to its old system of releasing settled water in the Kinjhar Lake via the KB (Kalri Baghar) canal’s upper feeder to bring an end to the supply of muddy water to the city.
Expressing concern over the continuous supply of muddy water, the KWSB, through a letter to the provincial irrigation department, has asked the officials to close the gates of K-B canal’s lower feeder without any further delay so that unsettled (muddy) water could be diverted towards Thatta district through the bypass for irrigation purpose and the settled water is released in the Kinjhar Canal via the K-B canal’s upper feeder for supplying drinking water to Karachi.
The KWSB officials apprehend that if the unsettled water was continued to be released in the K-B canal’s lower feeder, it will not only overburdened the capacity of the filter plants, but will also create serious silting problems in pipelines, reservoirs and underground tanks in houses and multi-storied buildings.
It is for the first time during the last ten years that the irrigation department has reversed its system of supplying settled water to Thatta district for irrigation purpose and unsettled water to the Kinjhar Lake for drinking purpose, the source said, adding that though the purpose of supplying unsettled water to Kinjhar Canal was to raise its level for storing water for winter season, the continuous supply of unsettled water to the Kinjhar Lake has become a major source of concern for the Karachiites.
Water from the Indus, to the tune of 2000 cusecs, is supplied to Thatta district for irrigation purpose and 900 cusecs to Karachi for drinking purpose via the KB’s lower and upper feeders.
SHORTAGE: Acute water shortage continued to persist in KDA scheme’s Block 1 (Metroville-III), Orangi Town’s sector 10-E Hariayna Colony, Kharadar and Lyari.
Residents of the areas said that although they had been experiencing water crisis for the last fortnight, the KWSB officials have not yet taken measures to restore normal supply.
Accusing the KWSB officials of creating artificial water shortage, the residents of Metroville-III alleged that the valve operating staff were responsible for their lingering water shortage.