By Shireen Soomro
KARACHI: The shortage of potable water has become a big problem for the people of Karachi due to unannounced and prolonged load shedding.
Due to this situation, the Tanker Mafia is getting full benefit and is playing havoc with the health of people by supplying dubious quality water. According to the sources that there are more than 150 illegal hydrants that are operating in the city. Sources have confirmed that each water tanker owner pays Rs 400 to 500 to the hydrant operators as water filling charges and sells the water to customers for Rs 150 to 160 per tank. The operators of illegal hydrants fill up tankers with piped water and mix sub-soil water of dubious quality with it.
A tanker-load of this turbid, muddy and unhygienic water is supplied to consumers at the higher rates. The racket was flourishing with the alleged connivance of some unprincipled elements, sources added. Those who are involved in this illegal business are playing havoc with the health of consumers. Sources in added that t many areas of the city were still without legal water connections, that is the main reason of the mushroom growth of illegal hydrants. Since the official hydrants did not have the capacity to cater to the needs of such a huge number of consumers, the illegal tanker operators have been doing a roaring business.
Fe weeks ago, Nazim Karachi Syed Mustafa Kamal directed the officials of Karachi Water and Sewerage Board to chalk out a coordinated policy for elimination of tanker mafia and illegal hydrants and arrange water supply to areas and industries where it is not reaching through lines.
He issued such directives in a high level meeting in the office of Chairman KWSB and said that this would reduce the number of consumers buying water through tankers and thus do away this business automatically. Mustafa Kamal said that instead of focusing more on closure of hydrants, Water Board should take such measures as a result of which this business phases out automatically. He said the tanker service should be reduced to contain tanker mafia. He said the effort and policy of Haq Parast leadership is to supply tap water house to house and factory to factory.
To eliminate tanker mafia, the steps should be taken from gross root level to the high-ups, so that accountability of alleged corrupt people can be done, which can at least minimize the business of tanker mafia and illegal hydrants. Until that happens, water will continue to be ‘stolen’ before it reaches the pipelines as it has been happening for several years.