Worsening water shortage

During summer, water and power shortages in most parts of Sindh, especially in Karachi, become unbearable. This year electricity supply has somewhat improved, but water shortage has worsened than in the past many years. Some circles claim that Karachi is being supplied 550mgd water daily against its need for 1,200 mgd. It is said that around half of the 550mgd water is either stolen or lost due to leakages in the supply lines.

Water is not available in home taps of most citizens, but plenty of it is available in the ‘black market’ through water sellers who sell it at hefty prices in cans and tankers. Sometimes sellers disappear for days together when their promoters and protectors ask them to raise their cuts. For years, this has been the situation in many localities of the capital city of Sindh province. Those with low income use undrinkable underground water for other purposes, but they have to buy drinking water in the ‘black market’ irrespective of the cost. This is unaffordable for the poor, and they drink the brackish underground water, which causes many diseases. Every summer the hapless people thirst for a few drops of water.

Since water shortage has worsened this year, one wonders where all the rainwater disappeared as last year most parts of Sindh, including Karachi, had received excessive rains. This had caused the worst-ever urban flooding in Karachi killing many and leaving many others homeless. There was much talk of storing water in dams and of rain harvesting, but so far nothing has materialised. Possibly the rainwater has either evaporated or gone to the sea. There was also much talk about constructing desalination plants on a war footing. The authorities have long promised to set up desalination plants to overcome the water shortage problem. But things have not gone beyond the stage of promise.

Ironically, now people are being shown ads on television about precautions to take during rains. It is like the auntie promising to buy the baby a jhunjhuna (rattle) even when it is yet to be born.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 26^th, 2021.

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