No water: Two weeks and not a drop

SUKKUR: As flood water continues to affect people in the province, the North Sindh Urban Services Corporation (NSUSC) was forced to cut off water to parts of Sukkur nearly 15 days ago. They claim that the water had become contaminated.

Sand dunes had built up on the right bank of the Indus River, near the area where the water was drawn in, which blocked the fresh water flow and let sewage water accumulate. Although the water corporation succumbed to the pressure by the district administration and took steps to restore water supply to the main city areas - the water is still contaminated and not fit for  human consumption.

On Sunday, residents of New Pind, a thickly populated area with 26 colonies, protested against the never ending water shortage. The leaders of the protest, Aslam Pathan and Lala Shaheen, alleged that the NSUSC left parts of the main line open under the pretext of maintenance. They claim that this stopped the water from being supplied. They added that although they were used to water shortages because of poor distribution and a bad drainage system, this was the first time they went without water for over two weeks. The protestors burnt tyres near Pathan Colony and chanted slogans against the water corporation.

NSUSC Director Abid Hussaini said that they had been in touch with the protestors and Munim Domki, the waste water manager, had also spoken with them. He told the people that the water supply would be restored by Monday.

According to Domki, water was supplied to New Pind via three main lines - Khushal, Bhoosa Lane and New Pind. The water supply from Khushal Line had been stopped temporarily because the utility was cracking down on illegal water connections. Domki added that as soon as the drive finished, the regular water connection would be restored.

The waste water manager claimed that there was no water shortage in other parts of the city because the irrigation department had regulated the river’s flow according to NSUSC requirements.

The water corporation maintain that it did not supply contaminated water. They said that the water was treated before it was supplied.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 21^st, 2011.