KARACHI: Another breakdown worsens water crisis

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27 October 2000 Friday 28 Rajab 1421

KARACHI: Another breakdown worsens water crisis

By Our Staff Reporter

KARACHI, Oct 26: The city's water supply situation aggravated on Thursday as pumping of water from Dhabeji pumping station once again remain suspended for two-and-a-half hours owing to non-availability of electricity.

At a time when most parts of the city are already in the grip of water crisis and when the KWSB has not yet succeeded in completely offsetting the shortage of 110 million gallons that was caused due to Tuesday's power breakdown at Dhabeji and Gharo pumping stations, the fresh power breakdown at Dhabeji has created an additional shortfall of 20 million gallons.

According to the KWSB officials, there was no electricity at Dhabeji pumping station from 6.30am to 9am.

In the absence of piped water in most of the localities, those who could afford private tankers are buying at exorbitant rates while poor and low-income group localities have no choice but to consume sub-soil unhygienic water in the absence of piped water.

According to the sources, the KWSB has, so far, managed to overcome the short supply of 90 million gallons of the total 110 million gallons, which means that the gap between supply and demand has been further widened to 40 million gallons.

"Had there been no power failure at Dhabeji pumping station on Thursday, they city's overall water supply situation would have been normalised by Friday," the sources claimed, saying that it will now take another two days to restore normal supply in the affected areas.

Asked which localities remained without water for the third consecutive day on Thursday, the sources said that though the KWSB has gradually started releasing water to the worst affected parts of the city from Wednesday night, still complaints of inadequate supply has been received from various localities of the metropolis.

Some of the worst affected localities include Landhi, Korangi, Shah Faisal Colony, Malir, Old City Area, parts of Lyari, Keamari, Bhutta Village, Mehmoodabad, Nazimabad, Pak Colony, Khudadad Colony, various societies and their adjoining localities.

People residing in Lyari's Baghdadi, Rexer Lane, Gul Mohammad Lane, Rangiwarra, Kalakot, said that though they had been experiencing acute water shortage for the last two months, the supply situation has worsened during the last three days.

Residents of several sectors of Baldia and Surjani Townships also complained of receiving inadequate supply.

Similar complaints have been received from the residents of North Karachi's Sector 11-C-1 and blocks 34 and 35 of North Karachi's Sector 5-E.

Gutters overflow: Complaints ofoverflowingand choked gutters continue to pouring in newspaper offices from different parts of the city.

Filthy water gushing out from several choked and broken gutters often spread on a major portion of road of Korangi's Block No 2, near Masjid-i-Aqsa.

Residents of the affected locality complained that although ankle-deep sewage water often remains stagnant on the road, causing unhygienic conditions in their locality, the concerned officials of the KWSB were least interested in repairing the damaged lines.

Deploring that all their complaints which they had lodged with the KWSB's concerned executive engineer have, so far, remain heeded, although the filthy water has now started entering into a number of houses starting from House No 501 to 510.

NORTH NAZIMABAD: Residents of North Nazimabad's Block 'I' complained that filthy water overflowing from some faulty sewerage lines not only remains stagnant on adjoining streets but often enters some nearby houses.

They regretted that although the stagnant filthy water has become a mosquito ground, the KWSB's concerned officials seem least interested in rectifying the fault despite the fact that several complaints have been lodged with them.

A similar complaint has been received from the residents of district West's Abidabad.

Residents of the affected locality said a major portion of Gul Afsar Khan Street, situated adjacent to 5-D Road, had developed deep potholes and craters as filthy water often overflows there in the absence of sewerage system.

They demanded of the KWSB authorities to immediately make arrangement of laying sewerage lines in the locality.

http://www.dawn.com/2000/10/27/local2.htm

-- Martin Thompson (mthom1927@aol.com), October 27, 2000


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