The hard-hit localities included North Karachi’s sectors 11-A and 11-B, Gulshan-i-Iqbal’s blocks 4-A, 10 and 10-A, Pakistan Chowk, Haqqani Chowk, Kharadar, Mithadar, Ramswami and its adjoining areas.
The other localities which went without water on Saturday, as part of the Water and Sanitation Department’s plan of diverting Indus water to the localities hooked to the Hub dam, included PECHS blocks 2 and 6, KDA Scheme-1, Sharfabad, PTV Centre, KACH Society, Civic Centre, Mehmoodabad No 5, Liaquatabad, Gharibabad, Furqanabad, Bandhani Colony, parts of Nazimabad, Liaquat National Hospital and Aga Khan Hospital.
Though the W&S Department, under its weekly water-holiday system, had been suspending the supply of the localities getting their supply from the Indus source on rotation basis since October 2002 for diverting the same to the localities hooked to the Hub source, complaints of persisting water shortage continued to pour in from Baldia, Orangi, Shershah, Site industrial areas, etc.
These sprawling townships and their adjoining areas, such as Shershah and Site industrial area, are being supplied water from Indus source via Ajmair Nagri and Board Office pumping stations after a gap of every five days. But, whenever these localities go dry on their turn, the residents of these localities had to go without water for 10 consecutive days.
Elected representatives of Baldia, Orangi and other affected areas have complained that they had been experiencing water shortage since October 2002. They pointed out that the supply position had now assumed such an alarming proportion that protest demonstrations had become a matter of routine.
They demanded of the City Nazim and the EDO of W&S Department to take immediate measures for ensuring an uninterrupted supply with full pressure on their turn of getting the supply. Any failure, they warned, might lead to a law and order situation.
LYARI AGITATION: Hundreds of people, including women and children, took to the streets of Lyari Town and expressed their resentment over the persisting water shortage. They blocked several main roads by putting up barricades and burning tyres raising slogans against the relevant authorities, adds PPI.
The protesters, led by leaders of Pasban, pelted stones at moving vehicles demanding restoration of normal water supply to the localities of Kakri Ground, Kaghazi Bazaar and Joria Bazaar. They also surrounded Kakri Water Pump during the agitation.
The Nazim of Saddar Town, Farooq Faria, rushed to the scene and tried calm down the situation but the protesters refused to listen to him.
The Pasban leaders, addressing the protesters, criticized the Water Board staff, UC Nazims and Councillors for showing slackness in resolving the chronic problem which had aggravated over the last three months.
Rangers and police were trying to persuade the protesters to disperse peacefully till last reports came in.