Wednesday, April 12, 2000 -- Muharram 6, 1421 A.H.

Acute water shortage in Surjani

By our correspondent

KARACHI: Residents from various sectors of Surjani town have reported acute water shortage in their respective areas for last couple of days.

Residents were of the view that KWSB staff were deliberately neglecting the Surjani town population, while tankers service of the KWSB was also not too satisfactory. The lower staff, with the approval of their superiors, had resorted to their own schedule for releasing water to the area, which was causing an artificial water crisis, claimed the affected citizens.

Meanwhile, reports of inadequate supply of water were also received from North Karachi, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Nazimabad, Federal B Area, Baldia town, Metroville Qasba scheme, Old city area, Lyari, Orangi town and Malir. Citizens urged the KWSB chief to intervene and ensure a meaningful supply of water to the affected areas, particularly during the hot summer days.

PWD QUARTERS: Power supply to various governments colonies, including Pakistan Quarters, Martin Quarters, Jehangir Quarters, Clayton Quarters, have been restored by the KESC.

The supply was disconnected by KESC on Monday, but residents had expressed concern and termed the action illegal and unwarranted. One of the residents said that electricity was restored in the early hours of Tuesday, after the intervention of the Sindh governor, while support from the army monitoring cell was also commendable.

http://www.jang.com.pk/thenews/index.html

-- Martin Thompson (mthom1927@aol.com), April 12, 2000

Answers

This Pakistan thing just seems to go on and on. On and on. On and on.

-- Uncle Fred (dogboy45@bigfoot.com), April 12, 2000.

KARACHI: Tankers doing roaring business

By Our Staff Reporter

KARACHI, April 12: Private tankers had a field day on Wednesday as water crisis continued to persist in various parts of the city.

Moreover, the residents of some areas of the metropolis complained that since water in their localities is supplied on alternate days, they have to go without water for three consecutive days in case water schedule is disturbed owing to power failures.

The residents of some parts of districts Central, East and Malir said they had been without water for the last two days.

The residents of Federal B' Area blocks 2, 10, 18 and 19 said that they did not get a single drop of water neither on Tuesday nor on Wednesday and as such they did not have any choice but to buy water from private tankers at exorbitant rates.

The other localities of districts Central and West from where complaints of acute water shortage have been received include North Nazimabad's blocks I and N, North Karachi's sector 11-C-1, Surjani Town, Baldia Township's Chandni Chowk and Saeedabad, Orangi Town's Sectors 11-1/2 and other tail-end areas.

The affected areas of districts East and South include some parts of PECHS Block 2, Khudadad Colony, Defence View bungalows, Jamshed Quarters, Mehmoodabad, Akhtar Colony, Malir, Malir Extension, Saudabad, Khokhrapar, Lyari and Baghdadi.

Taking undue advantage of persisting water crisis, the private tankers operators did a roaring business charging between Rs 400 and 500 per tanker.

http://www.dawn.com/2000/04/13/local2.htm

-- Martin Thompson (mthom1927@aol.com), April 13, 2000.