Hyderabad:
The water crisis in the second largest city center in Sindh has become alarming and emerges human life in several neighborhoods, especially Heerabad, Shahi Bazaar, Khai Road, AFANDI Town, Tando Mir Mahmood, Unit # 12 and Kohsar.
Some areas have been without a stable water supply for up to four days, forcing residents to resort to expensive alternatives or dangerous sources.
In many affected areas, residents must buy water from private suppliers, often at exorbitant prices. In some cases, people are dependent on water extracted from underground boreholes, raising serious health concerns.
The water delivered in the pipelines is often contaminated, with reports of muddy and poorly sounding water, making it dangerous for consumption.
Residents of Shahi Bazaar have reported that the water delivered to them is so dirty that it is useless, while similar complaints have emerged from Sherish Nagar in Qasimabad. Ashiq, a local resident, said that after a four-day wait, it was water their area received, filled with garbage and mud.
The crisis is especially serious in areas that extend from Khuda Hafiz Chowk to Kohsar, where the water supply is almost completely cut off. For several months, residents of Khuda Hafiz Chowk have been dependent on water from WASA (Water & Sanitation Agency) pumping station.
However, the agency recently banned residents from collecting water from the station and the area’s filtration plants have stopped functioning due to insufficient water accessibility.
Local residents have expressed concern about corruption within the system. Claims swirling that some WASA officials referring to unpaid wages facilitate illegal water connections.
Reports show that illegal compounds are installed by spuding pipes in the main line, which puts additional load on an already overloaded system.
Meanwhile, residents of Kohsar have not been without choice than buying water from expensive tanker services.
To protest against the ongoing water shortage, residents of Kohsar and Unit # 12 have organized a demonstration at Khuda Hafiz Chowk.
They call for immediate restoration of the water supply and an end to the illegal connections that aggravate the crisis. The protest scheduled for Friday has received support from residents of other affected areas that require rapid and effective action from the authorities.
WASA claims to address illegal connections and breaches. However, citizens claim that some officials are accomplices in the illegal practice that provides connections during the night.
