[dropcap]A[/dropcap]large number of Mujahid Colony residents took to the streets again on Tuesday, demanding their problems pertaining to civic amenities be solved. Mujahid Colony, which falls in the District West, has been facing a severe water crisis for the past month. Residents of Islam Chowk in Mujahid Colony blocked the road between Orangi No 11 and 12 and traffic came to a halt for around three hours. The area is deprived of water for the past 20 days.
The protesters burnt tires on the road and chanted slogans against the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) and the Pakistan People’s Party-led Sindh government.The residence of the area questioned that why water is released when there is no electricity in the area. They have kept us without water,said a resident, adding that the domestic work extremely difficult as electricity and water is not available at house.Despite countless complaints, no action is being taken, he said. Asking the politicians to spend one day with the residents of Mujahid Colony and see how miserable their lives have become due to water shortage.
“We do not even have water to drink,” she said(residence). The worst-affected areas are Orangi, Baldia Town, New Karachi, North Karachi, Surjani Town, North Nazimabad and Nazimabad in West and Central districts. The residents of District West, Mujahid Colony also complained that illegal connections from water lines were given to the industries operating in the area. There are many illegal connections have been given to several factories operating in site and other affiliated areas in complicity with the staff of Karachi water and sewerage board ”Said Senior Politician of Pakistan People’s Party K.S Mujahid Khan Baloch.
The situation has become so bad that there are many reports of unplanned water distribution on ethnic grounds by the KWSB, which is alarming he said. Areas of East and South districts are also adversely affected in water supply is at a halt. Water supply to the district west particularly Mujahid Colony has been suspended since long.Thousands of gallons of water is being wasted on roads due to suspension of water supply and damaged road said zeeshan khan, a resident. When we visited the area, the water line was seen leaking. he asked why the KWSB has halted the water supply to their area and are not repairing the faulty water lines.
Most of the areas of Central and West districts are provided water from the Hub Dam, where according to the KWSB spokesperson, hardly 35 million gallons per day (MGD) of water is being supplied to the city.The overall requirement of the city is 1,200MGD and the city is getting less than half of it, that is 500 MGD water, which includes supply from the Hub Dam. For Mujahid Colony, the area is at the tail end due to which it is facing problems. When asked about the water shortage and illegal connections to the industrial area, he did not comment.