The teeming metropolitan city faced an unprecedented water crisis during the three days of Eidul Azha as water supply was abruptly halted in areas where it is usually available on normal days. Sweltering heat exasperated the crisis as people desperately yearned for even a single drop of water during the otherwise festive occasion.
The crisis wreaked havoc on the lives of Karachi’s residents who were left with no choice but to purchase costly bowsers from private tanker operators while the government-run hydrants were inaccessible. While the water demand naturally surges in the metropolis during the months of June and July, the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) failed to devise any strategies to handle the spike in demand during the holiday season, leaving citizens to bear the full brunt of the crisis. Several neighbourhoods suffered from acute water scarcity, leaving residents in dire straits.
Throughout the Eid holidays, water supply was severely disrupted, even in the areas where it is usually reliable. Acquiring water became an arduous task for citizens, further exacerbating the challenges they faced during the holiday. Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Gulistane-Jauhar, North Karachi, New Karachi, Federal B Area, Buffer Zone, Baldia Town, Orangi Town, Old City Area, PIB Colony, and several other regions were hit the hardest by the water crisis, leaving citizens to endure tremendous hardships. According to sources, the crisis stemmed from an unfair and imbalanced distribution of water at the area level by the KWSB. Valve-men intentionally halted water supply in different areas, including those where it should have continued as usual. KWSB officials acknowledged issuing instructions to the valvemen to disrupt water supply in various areas, aggravating the crisis. When contacted, the valve-men confirmed that they had received directives from higher authorities to curtail the water supply.
This deliberate manipulation of the water system in Karachi created an artificial crisis, causing citizens to suffer immensely during Eid. Rather than providing essential services, the KWSB compounded the predicament faced by citizens during Eid by closing down the government-operated hydrants for all three days, further intensifying the struggle to access water. Desperate citizens resorted to purchasing water at exorbitant prices from private tankers. Attempts to contact KWSB officials to address this matter were met with no response. Choked sewer, overflowing sewage Meanwhile, the city also witnessed a sewage crisis as the delayed collection of sacrificial animals’ entrails and poor sanitation arrangements led to overflowing sewers in different neighbourhoods.
Stinking sewage water inundated roads, causing significant problems for citizens due to unhygienic conditions. Following the Eidul Azha sacrifices, the prompt removal of piles of offal was neglected in several areas. Blood and entrails were carelessly disposed of in sewage lines, resulting in blockages and overflowing gutters. The foulsmelling water spilled onto the streets, creating difficulties for residents in their daily movements. In Gulshan-e-Iqbal Block 13D, sewage water flooded the streets due to overwhelmed sewers. Various blocks in Federal B Area also experienced choked sewerage lines, leading to water overflow.
Liaquatabad, Nazimabad, North Karachi, New Karachi, Old City Area, Korangi, Landhi, Shah Faisal Colony, Malir, Baldia Town, Orangi Town, Golimar, Abul Hasan Isfahani Road, and other areas also suffered from sewage water accumulation on roads. The relevant authorities failed to take necessary measures for unblocking choked sewers. As a result, several city roads became inundated with sewage water, causing severe problems for citizens even during the Eid festivities.
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