KARACHI - Power Outages Disrupt City Water Supply

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Title: Power outages disrupt city water supply

March 28, 2000

By our correspondent

KARACHI: Due to repeated interruption in power supply to Dhabeji Pumping Station, the KWSB pumped lesser water to the city during the last four days, which resulted in water shortage in some parts of Karachi, including Districts West and Central.

Sources at the KWSB claimed that KWSB could not pump water from Dhabeji station on average 14 million gallons of water each day from March 24 to 27. The impact of short shortage had made itself felt in Orangi, Baldia and some parts of District Central, including Federal B Area.

It was learnt that due to power failure pumping was stopped twice on March 24, while on March 25 there was a gap for one hour. On March 26, electricity went off twice for a total duration of one and half-hours, while failure continued on March 27 (Thursday as well).

Moreover, according to a KWSB staffer, pumping was affected for about three hours from 12.05 pm at NEK Filter Plant on Monday. It was learnt that interruption was due to repairing and renovation works of KESC lines.

TANKER SERVICE: Supply of water through tanker in the city has also broken down due to fresh restrictions on heavy vehicles of not plying on various roads of the city in the daytime. The KWSB sources said that city administration and traffic police were not allowing KWSB tankers to ply during daytime on Shahrah-e-Quaideen up to Mereweather Tower, University Road, Liaquatabad (Nawab Siddiq Ali Khan Road), Star Gate to Avari hotel, which was causing inconvenience in continuing an effective tanker supply system.

KWSB sources said that load of supply had been shifted to night hours, but due to KWSB and Rangers policy to keep the hydrant service closed during night hours things could not be run smoothly. There have been complaints about inadequate tanker service during the last couple of days, added the source and pointed out that delivery of water through tankers to consumers, mostly in residential areas, during the night hours was not feasible on the part of KWSB and also was a source of great inconvenience for residents as well.

A traffic police officer told this reporter that in the light of a recent circular which is effective from March 25, plying of tankers was also restricted during the day hours in certain limits as it fall within the category of heavy traffic. He said that the managements of various hydrants of the KWSB, including Muslimabad and LSR hydrants had been informed well in advance and if they felt any problem than could approach to the authorities for relaxation in their cases as theirs was an essential service.

However, the police personnel who were at work on Monday near Hassan square, informed this correspondent that there was no restriction on plying through the intersection at Hasan Square and they could go through Liaquatabad, provided they did not use Nawab Siddiq Ali Khan Road. ELECTRICTY PROBLEM: With the rise in temperature, reports of power failures also started pouring in and residents from various parts of the city complained about frequent power failure for one hour or more on Sunday and Monday. The affected areas included some parts of Federal F Area, North Karachi, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Surjani Town, Old City areas and Elander Road as well.

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-- (Dee360Degree@aol.com), March 28, 2000


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