Water— this is the reason why we are all alive on this face of this earth. Let’s reinforce its significance — we may stay alive for 3 days without the food, but a day without water is close to impossible. Salt water is the second most significant thing on the face of this earth after air. This fact is not shrouded that 70% of the earth’s surface is covered with water. This further reflects its importance. No surprise hits that the word Karachi conjures up an image of lots of light, noise and busy life. This cosmopolitan city which constantly changes is devastatingly nearing to the verge of water shortage.
Problems and Crisis
This mega city of Pakistan with the whooping population of more than 2 crore approximately is crying an acute crisis of water supply. In this age where technology is growing by leaps and bounds and where people are in a rat race to get ahead of each other, to cater and see this problem seems a child’s play. But this issue is poles apart to reality. In the practical marathon of life, people are already bombarded with so many expenditures that spending money on buying water hurts the pocket badly. With Karachi, the situation has fallen deeper than worse simply because the supply suffices not even half of what the demand is. This heightened water shortage is not only spotted in unprivileged areas of the city but also in elite areas like defense. The water shortage has aggravated the grievance of the common people, and they have hugged the annoyance more than anything else. It is very unfortunate for the citizens of Karachi to get thrown with such problems in the era of science and technology. Struck by the reality, it is vital to highlight that it has already reached a zenith where many of the areas of Karachi are devoid of this natural blessing.
The reduction of water has caused the daily household chores for many have become a morsel trapped in the throat. The condition in Karachi is festering and water shortage is continuing to spread like a wildfire. It will alarmingly expand even more if timely remedial measures are not acted upon. Despite being listed as the basic fundamental right of every human being, many from the disadvantaged backgrounds have it snatched away. The water supply doesn’t come unbidden for them, but it flashes for few hours like a most awaited guest to host. Even those hours are not sufficient as on that specified hourly period many of them are unable to store — courtesy to the lack of storage capacities. The release duration is really short and many of the people’s tanks remain unfilled which hardly goes on to serve their needs for a day or two. The residents are impelled to get relied on the tanker mafias and admit their defeat by paying exorbitant prices to them. Flipping towards the other side of the picture, the areas are forsaken for fate where the poor are unable to afford water.
The reasons if dug up further can infuriate any reasonable man. People are feeding upon other people’s right like parasites eat plants. How so? Well, the local farmers are to be drifted gaze towards. It is believed that the farmers, in the vicinity of Karachi where the irrigation takes place just for the sake of formality, have established illegal diesel engines. Such engines draw out water from the canals to irrigate their own fields. The tankers mafias are accused of pumping out a huge amount of water leaving behind very less for the consumption for other citizens.
Miserably, water theft is not equivalent to be considered as a crime in Karachi. As there are no rules or criminal hearings to entertain such horrendous acts which cause all citizens to suffer badly. The theft is not targeted on small scales which many of us may have deemed up till now. Let the fact be bounced off, this acts is the reason for about 25% of Karachi being divorced of water problems. The cherry on top — the water board is negligent towards maintaining the water pumping stations as most of them are standing in a worn out condition. Let alone getting fresh sweet water in Karachi be a dream because pervasive water shortages impede this wish.
Possible solutions
Water board should make use of alternate water pipelines to route the required water to their destination. Karachi’s water supply usually comes from two main sources The Keenjhar Lake and Hub Dam. Keenjhar is an artificial lake in Thatta district of Sindh and its aim was to channel the water in Karachi at domestic, commercial and industrial use. The latter source Hub Dam’s construction has condensed the water supply to Karachi drastically. The scientists have claimed the level of Hub dam to be on “Dead level”. This is owing to the acute rainfall the place is met with and the theft of water supply. Water is not only meant to serve the local domestic needs, but the huge chunk of water is used in Industrial sector in Karachi.
A common belief which rests in the minds of many is that the water mafia in order to ignite their stoves does such a selfish act on purpose. Bursting of water pipelines is a familiar trouble and many have drilled the cause having intentional roots. Fighting the authorities of water board is like blowing a trumpet in front of a buffalo. There is a lot which we can do for making this problem less aggravated.
Before thinning our patience over this issue, let us initiate from the individual level. We can’t just squeeze our eyes and let such problems wash over. Thus for the sake of making the water in Karachi more sustainable, the people should flock together and battle the war to stimulate more smooth water managements from the supply. Furthermore, a petition of more funding can be filed directly to the government. Timely and immediate measures can fix the things into the right places and can resolve big problems like such faced by the City of lights.
