Karachi parched as illegal hydrants make money

KARACHI:

The  metropolitan  city  of  over 20 million people has  been  in  throes  of  a water crisis. The  crisis  is  being  exasperated  by  the  pilferage  of  water  from  the main supply pipelines by  illegal  hydrants  allegedly  in  connivance  with authorities,  according  to  sources.

The sources revealed that an illegal connection  was  given  from  the  48-inch pipeline  supplying  water  to  Defence  and  Clifton  at  Chakra  Goth  in  the jurisdiction of Zaman Town  police  station.

Two  connections  of  6-inch diameters were  given  from  the main line to an illegal hydrant  built  on  a  plot  owned  by a  local  leader  of  a  political  party, the  sources added “ This illegal hydrant is selling more than 500  bowsers  a day,”  the  sources  said.  

Thousands  of  gallons  are  being  stolen  every  day,  which  is  adversely affecting  water  supplies  to  various  areas  of  Defence,  Clifton  and  Korangi.

Other  neighbourhoods  facing a debilitating water crisis  in  the  city  include Sadar,  Gulshan-e-Iqbal,  Gulistan-e-Jauhar,  North Karachi, New Karachi, and Malir.

One main reason cited is increasing pilferage  of  water  from  the  main pipelines in the city by illegal hydrants. Katchi abadis (slums) allegedly  receive  24-hour supplies from the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board, while the consumers  who pay  their  KWSB  bills are deprived of water.