KWSB directed to supply one million gallon daily water to district West

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has directed Karachi Water Board (KWSB) to provide water to the areas badly affected by water shortage; particularly, one million gallon daily (MGD) Karachi's District West, where at least 1MGD additional water is required. CM Murad Ali Shah issued these directives presiding over a high-level meeting at the Committee Room of the Finance department that was held to devise water management plan for the areas facing water shortage, here on Sunday.
The meeting was attended by Sindh Minister for Local Government Jam Khan Shoro, Chief Secretary Rizwan Memon, Principal Secretary to the CM Sohail Rajput, provincial secretary Asif Hyder Shah, Additional IGP Karachi Mushtaq Maher, Commissioner Karachi Aijaz Ali Khan, KWSB's MD Khalid Sheikh and others. The minister Shoro told the meeting that main sources to provide water to Karachi are Keenjhar (River Indus) and Hub Dam from where water is pumped through three main bulk pumping stations located at Dhabeji Pumping Station, Gharo and Hub.
He said normal criterion of water supply from Indus is 550MGD while it is 100 MGD from Hub. He said population of the city is 17 million and maximum water demand is 918 MGD as per 54 gpcd. The industrial demand for water is 126mgd. MD Water Board Khalid Shaikh said present supply from Indus River has come down to 450mgd and 30 MGD from Hub. This shows difference between supply and demand.
The chief minister said he had reports there was water shortage in Orangi Town, Baldia, SITE, Gadap and partially in Nazimabad. At this, the MD water board said these areas depend on Hub Dam where availability of water was reduced to only 30MGD instead of 115 MGD. Deputy Commissioner South Asif Jameel told the meeting two RO plants, one operating at Lyari-Ahmed Shah area and other one at Civil Line-Shireen Jinnah area. He said these plants had stopped working due to disconnection of their power connection.
On this the Chief Minister expressed displeasure and directed MD water board to get them operational by tomorrow. "I want you to clear their bills and make them operational and send the report by Monday evening," he directed. Deputy Commissioner West Tariq Chandio said that at present the water board through tankers provide 300MGD water to district West which is insufficient to cater to the need of the area. Murad Shah directed the Board to provide one million gallons water to District West. He said additional water would be provided through tankers and would be distributed by the deputy commissioner.
The DC West said there were only 257 water tanks in the West through which water tankers supply water for public consumption. The Chief Minister issued directives to establish 100 more fibre tanks so that one million gallons water could easily be stored there. Murad Shah also directed all the deputy commissioners of Karachi's districts to file their demand of required water with KWSB so that the latter could make arrangements, accordingly.
He also directed the deputy commissioners to set up more water tanks in their respective area, if needed, and store water there so that people could take water from there. Shah directed Chief Secretary Rizwan Memon to oversee implementation of the plan he has given to the KWSB and provide them required funds, in this regard.