Karachi fears dehydration as summer approaches

As public watering stations run dry, citizens dread the inching summers that might be intolerable out in the open

KARACHI:

As the cool winter breeze is swapped for the sweltering summer sun, thousands fear that the coming dog days may be unbearable in the metropolitan city that severely lacks shade and green cover needed to shelter from the celestial fireball.

Every year, Karachi records several deaths from hyperthermia and dehydration during its hottest spell that can last over three months. Those who fall victim to the city’s unforgiving sun are usually daily-wage workers, laborers, security guards, and street-hawkers, who must brave the streets under all circumstances to make a living.

According to 65-year old Ghulam Jan Jamali, who is a resident of Karachi’s Liaquatabad area, until a few years ago, it was common to see cold, potable water stations set up across the city’s public places, highways, bus stops, markets, bazaars, and neighborhoods. “These were called Sabeels; usually funded and sustained by local communities, philanthropists, and also individuals who wanted to do something rewarding in the name of their deceased loved ones. Hundreds of commuters and labourers would benefit from these water stations and pray for the person who set them up,” told Jamali, adding that the trend has diminished now, while the cemented water stations set up in the past have also become inactive, making the summer season ruthless for those who work on the streets.

Per Ahmed Siddiqui, who is associated with a local water plant, instead of installing cemented water tanks, people now place large water coolers outside their shops or business centers. “It contains clean and cold water, which anyone can use to quench their thirst,” he told.

However, Muhammad Younis, a daily-waged labourer who spends several hours a day under the open sky, believes that the charitably constructed water stations were much more accessible for people than small coolers kept outside private shops and homes. “Karachi’s growing water shortage is probably one of the main reasons behind the disappearance of the once-popular sabeels. Most of them were hydrated by the main lines or via pipelines running from people’s houses. Now it seems people don’t even have enough water for themselves, let alone excess water to fill up the charitable tanks,” he opined.

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According to Asif Iqbal, who is a secretary of a local mosque, when Karachi’s water problems started to grow, many mosques in the city installed hand pumps outside to aid the public. “Now the groundwater levels have fallen so low that these hand pumps have also stopped working. However, in places where these hand pumps or water tanks are still available, people have started stealing water for commercial purposes or cleaning their laundry,” Iqbal commented, maintaining that almost all mosques in the city still have a reverse osmosis plant and cold water dispenser within their premises for anyone who needs to quench their thirst.

On the other hand, addressing the reasons behind Karachi’s climatic shift, Muhammad Tawheed, who is a researcher on urban environment said that lack of greenery and unregulated construction is what has led to boiling temperatures in the city. “Due to climate change in the city, the duration of summer has become longer. The temperature in the city rises day by day, which also increases the water requirements. In view of this, there is a need to create awareness among the citizens about tree planting and increasing Karachi’s green cover. While the government should make arrangements for the supply of clean and cold drinking water in public places,” he opined.

Addressing the concern, Sindh Chief Minister’s Advisor Waqar Mehdi, has claimed that the provincial government has acknowledged the issue and is involved in making arrangements for potable water supply in the port city. “We are trying to get the government as well as philanthropists and charitable institutions on board for the task, and believe that clean, drinking water will soon be made accessible for all,” he told The Express Tribune.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 15^th, 2022.