KARACHI, March 27: Resentment among the residents of many localities in Lyari Town was growing amid persisting shortage of water and in several areas the problem is aggravating to the extent of crisis.
Among the worst-hit areas is Shah Beg Lane which had witnessed public agitation over water shortage a few months back.
Residents of Shah Beg Lane Union Council limits, who have been facing acute water shortage intermittently over the past decade, have pointed out that despite repeated assurance by the concerned officials, there had been no improvement so far in the supply position.
The situation in Ali Mohammad Mohallah and some parts of Juna Masjid area also remained the same. Though the authorities have taken measures to ensure adequate water supply to this area through tankers, the residents said that the quantity made available was absolutely insufficient as against their day-to-day requirement.
They regretted that the KWSB officials had failed to fulfil their commitment to restore the supply as yet. They acknowledged that work on the laying of new pipeline was underway but also expressed their disappointment over the delay in completion of the project.
It may be mentioned here that more than 500 households in the localities, adjacent to the Juna Masjid area, and nearly 1,000 households in Ali Mohammad Mohallah have not been provided water in adequate quantity on regular basis for the last 10 years.
The frustrated residents have warned that water riots would again erupt in the affected localities which might spread to other areas of the town if suitable measures were not taken immediately to resolve the problem.
Complaints of water shortage have also been received from some parts of Daryabad and Kalakot union council areas where people have long been accusing KWSB officials of negligence. They were of the view that the negligence was one of the major factors contributing to the chronic water shortage problem.
During a visit to the area on Wednesday, many of the local residents repeated their claim that valvemen, in connivance with ‘organized mafia’ were continuing to sell the domestic consumers’ water to commercial users by diverting the flow.
Diversion of water amounting to no less than three million gallon per day ultimately creates an artificial shortage in many parts of Lyari Town, they observed.
They disputed KWSB claim of supplying 13mgd water to the town and said that the total supply never exceeded 8mgd at the receiving end. They insisted that the pilferage did occur at the point from where the supply was being diverted by the valvemen.
It may be recalled that public protest late last year against water shortage had created law and order situation and people’s outrage had forced even the elected representatives to flee their offices.
The campaign had compelled the city Nazim and KWSB officials to restore water supply on urgent basis but the measures proved temporary though they helped in easing public pressure.
On their part, the KWSB officials have been maintaining that water shortage was ‘artificial crisis’ created by vested interests for political gains.