By: Safdar Hussain – SMI University
Electricity breakdowns in Karachi have become a common occurrence. Most of the people of Gulistan-e-Johar are facing the issue of unsafe and unclean drinking water. We normally buy water gallons and tankers for our requirements. Many locals informed. People of Gulistan-e-Johar of Block 9 to Block 19 including Johar Chowrangi, Kamran Chowarangi, Pahlwan Goth, Rabia City, Bhittaiabad, and the central Government society have not been receiving pure water for drinking purpose, the water supplied through water lines is just being used for bathing, washing laundry and for cooking purpose.
The arrangements of sewerage for which the city government realizes tax, are in bad condition and getting from bad to worse in majority of areas. The main drainage lines mostly uncovered and with broken covers at many places are seldom cleaned as a result the whole drainage system is blocked forcing drain water to leak through manholes and flow over the roads and service roads.
most of the water pipelines are contaminated. The water is mixed with sewerage waste, that is making the supply of water germ-infested, and we are forced to buy 2 gallons a day for drinking purposes. The Contamination of water has occurred due to defective joints and crossing over of sewage pipelines at junctions meeting water lines, which are the reasons behind the contaminated water.
This condition can be cited near a link road running from Johar Chowrangi to Pahlwan Goth attached with a big Sewerage line, where some pipelines of water are crossing under that big Sewerage line resulting in the mixing of sewerage and water which is making the situation is extremely alarming. In these areas, large number of shops are selling water gallons of 12-20 liters which are being mostly supplied to the running business in the area.
There is a huge Tanker-Mafia in the area which is promoting the business of selling drinking water. The authorities are also involved in such promotions, so they do not desire the matter to be solved. The fact that some staff members act as facilitators in the commission of water pilferage is attributable to a lack of proper checks from their superiors. Some even peddle influence to block any departmental inquiry. If a staff member is caught, the maximum punishment he faces is suspension, and that too for a brief period.
Many people said that they cannot consume the water coming from the pipelines directly because it can have direct effects on human life hence some people are using water filters for water purification, some boil it while others are purchasing gallons for drinking purposes. According to Diarrheal diseases and other infections can occur with the consumption of sewerage contaminated water.
