Daily Times

KARACHI: Finally taking notice of the short supply of water in the city, the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) has sent a technical team to Gharo, Dhabeji, Pipri and Chilya sites to obtain firsthand knowledge about the crisis in city.

The 5-membr team is headed by Asadullah Khan. It will check the water inlet and outlet supply from the Indus water source as well as the functioning of 21 Gharo and Dhabeji pumping stations and the capacity of each station for supplying of water to city areas.

KWSB managing director Khalid Mahmood Shiekh says that a fresh plan would be devised to streamline water supply to affected parts of city on the basis of the team’s report.

Currently, water supply to city from Gharo and Dhabeji sources stands at around 470 million gallon per day (MGD), while it should be around 560 MGD.

Pumping stations at these two sites with working capacity of 24 MGD, 25 MGD and 36 MGD, respectively, have now become outdated. Due to lack of adequate supervision, the pumping stations are not working at their capacity.

The new MD of the Water Board had taken charge of the office some 75 days ago. Back then, he sent three engineers of electrical and mechanical departments to accomplish the task.

Around 94 MGD supply from Hub Dam was stopped due to lowering of water level in the dam.

Baldia Town, Orangi Town, Manghopir, Qasba, Surjani, Banara, Pahtan Colony and some parts of North Nazimabad in the District West were affected as a result. Declaring water emergency, the Karachi commissioner directed officials concerned to ensure supply through 1,000 tankers every day to the affected areas.

Some parts of city are receiving water regularly, while others are still deprived for over 20 days. Regular protests have since been held by residents of these areas highlighting their plight and calling attentionn of the authorities.

Separately, residents of Karsaz Colony allege that the administration of the PAF Shah Faisal Housing Colony is stealing water from the main pipeline and through illegal connections.

Mohsin Raza, the secretary of the Peoples Labour Union at KWSB, says that one of the prime reasons of water shortage in the city was widespread incidence of theft using illegal connections. “KWSB should take notice of such illegal activities in order to streamline regular water supply to city areas,” he said.

Published in Daily Times, May 23^rd 2018.