No water, but filth and dirt in Karachi

Water shortage and heaps of garbage plague Karachi on Eid

KARACHI: A large fraction of Karachi's residents remained deprived of water amid scorching heat and high temperatures, as a water crisis persisted in the city on Eid and following days.

Rise in temperature during Eid increased the demand for water across the city by 1.3 billion gallons. As a result, the city faced a shortage of 750 million gallons of water, with its water supply limited to 550 million gallons.

Additionally, the already dismal state of water supply in the city was worsened due to the unfair distribution of water, by Bulk Supply Department. According to sources, officers from the Bulk Supply Department diverted the supply of water to industrial and commercial areas, neglecting the need of residential areas.

As a result, Korangi, Landhi, Buffer Zone, Federal B Area, North Karachi, Surjani Town, Baldia Town, Orangi Town, Lyari, Mahmoodabad and several other localities in Karachi faced a shortfall in the supply of water.

Earlier, it had been announced by the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) authorities that six hydrants of the water board would be kept operational during Eid days so as to ensure ample water supply to the citizens of Karachi. Sindh Local Government Minister Saeed Ghani had also issued directives to keep the hydrants operational on Eid, particularly to supply water to areas facing shortage. He had also directed to supply water to the affected areas through tankers to overcome the shortfall.

However, despite Ghani's directives, all water board's hydrants were closed on the eve of Eid, just as the first day of Eid began. Additionally, tanker drivers also left the city to celebrate Eid in their villages. With only 25 per cent to 30 per cent hydrants supplying water on Eid and Sindh Government and water board officials failing to address the growing water crisis in the absence of a backup plan, the metropolis largely remained deprived of water.



According to sources, taking advantage of the situation, private tanker owners increased their rates and citizens in various localities were forced to buy water at much higher prices.

Uncollected garbage

Foul smell and heaps of garbage also plagued the environment of the city on Eid, with no concrete measures taken by the authorities to remove solid waste from different areas of Karachi.

The dismal state of the city's environment witnessed during Eid contradicted claims made earlier by Ghani and Solid Waste Management Board (SSWMB) Managing Director AD Sanjrani regarding the preparation of a plan for the removal of garbage.

Almost 12,000 tonnes of garbage is produced in Karachi every day, out of which the authorities only manage to remove 2,000 to 3,000 tonnes. The remaining is left on the city's roads, streets and neighbourhoods, lying around untended, which causes difficulties for the citizens.

In Karachi, the responsibility for waste collection and removal lies with SSWMB and Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC). It is SSWMB's responsibility to remove waste from city's four out of six districts, making it liable for waste collection from a major part of the city. However, most areas which come under SSWMB, including Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Lines Area, Old City Area, SITE, Baldia Town, North Karachi, Surjani Town, PIB Colony, Jamshed Road Lasbela and Nishtar Road, remained deprived of the department's attention during Eid and residents in these areas were forced to bear the foul smell emitting from heaps of garbage. Similar scenario was witnessed in areas that come under the jurisdiction of KMC.

Admitting that SSWMB was unable to make necessary arrangements for waste removal during Eid, Sanjrani attributed the department's inefficiency to the absence of staff during Eid days. He also said that the board would take necessary action against those found to be guilty of disregarding or neglecting their duties and directed the officials to take measures for improving the situation around the city.

However, according to Gulshan-e-Iqbal UC 21 Chairman Adnan Ahmed, SSWMB was intimated of the growing heaps of garbage in the area a week before Eid and SSWMB authorities had assured that adequate measures would be taken to resolve the issue.

He said that despite the assurance, nothing was done to solve the problem, adding that the department seemed uninterested in resolving the issue which was persisting due to the provincial government's corruption. Ahmed said that SSWMB was paying $29 for the removal of a tonne of garbage to Chinese companies, and the money could have been utilised to remove garbage from the entire city.

The SSWMB had given the contract for waste collection and removal from Karachi to two Chinese companies, paying them exorbitantly. However, according to reports, the companies' management of the waste collection and removal has been poor so far, which cite the lack of funds as a reason for their unsatisfactory performance.

Citing the growing complains of poor waste management in the city on Eid, SSWMB Executive Director Operations Nisar Ahmed Soomro, along with the representatives of Chinese companies visited different areas of Karachi to review cleaning activities. They visited University road, Shahr-e-Quaideen, Shaheed-e-Millat road, Tipu Sultan road, Bahadurabad, Tariq road, Jail Chowrangi, Rashid Minhas road and other areas. During the visits, Soomro said that the garbage should be lifted immediately otherwise strict action will be taken against the companies, in accordance with the agreement.

It is reported that the provincial government has paid its dues to SSWMB, which has affected the department's performance. 

Published in The Express Tribune, June 8^th, 2019.