KARACHI: President, SITE Association of Industry, Muhammad Jawed Bilwani has lauded the Supreme Court decision having a sigh of relief stated that in reality the water line K-IV which had been promised, has not yet been laid while still the old K-III water line is continuing.
Chairman SITE said that the KWSB itself claims that the per capita water demand @ 54 GPCD for population 20 million is estimated at 1080 MGD, while it was a great apathy that the present supply to Karachi from Indus and Hub source is approx 650MGD which is a shortfall of 430 MGD.
“It can be imagined that such shortfall has been continuing since a long time, therefore this was fulfilled by subsoil water from thousands of tube wells all over Karachi in Residential area, mosques and industrial areas.”
Moreover, he lamented that 100 MGD of water from Hub Dam had dried up which was another setback. Most unfortunately the SITE industrial area which was getting water for last 20 years back is today not even been supplied 10% of that water by KWSB.
Even 20 years ago, the industries used to get subsoil water due to the fact that KW&SB has failed to supply the required quantity of water that time too.
He further said that the actual requirement of SITE industrial area is 40 MGD while KW&SB supplied on an average miserable 2.75 MGD water approximately.
“As a result of such a poor scenario several industries got subsoil water from their own plots while some from other areas through subsoil tankers or lines spread on the ground. Even the other six industrial areas were compelled to get water in this way”, Bilwani added.
He further said that some people bored subsoil water, built water hydrants to sell this water while it is an irony that despite all this KW&SB has done absolutely nothing further dilemma is that the long planned K-IV line has still not been installed.
Bilwani further stated that as price of diesel went up the subsoil water was being supplied through ground lines to meet the requirement which is actually the duty of KWSB and it is doing nothing, adding that the people even bought land to bore subsoil water, build water hydrants and at times even went for boring of subsoil near the ‘nullahs’ (drains).
It is pertinent to note that water is being supplied through these sources i.e. KW&SB water pipelines and KW&SB legal and illegal water hydrants as well as subsoil water pipeline and subsoil water hydrants. It is a fact that the subsoil water is only for industrial use and it is not drinkable water.
