Supply of 45mgd of water formally begins from Hub Dam

Karachi 

Sindh Minister for Local Governments Jam Khan Shoro formally inaugurated on Monday a supply of 45mgd of water to Karachi from the Hub Dam.

The city, where many areas are facing an acute shortage of water, has been receiving the same amount of water from the reservoir for three months on an experimental basis under a 280-million-rupee project. 

The water level in the Hub Dam has gone up by three feet after the first spell of monsoon rains this year, leading to the resumption of water supply to the city. Karachi is being supplied with 550mgd against its requirement of 1,100mgd.

Speaking as the chief guest at a ceremony held at the dam and attended among others by Karachi Water & Sewerage Board Managing Director Misbah Farid and Karachi Municipal Corporation Administrator Laiq Ahmed,  Shoro said the Sindh government was fully alive to the water scarcity and would leave no stone unturned in resolving the problem.

He said that in the initial stage, water was being supplied with the help of diesel pumps, and within the next two or three weeks, an additional 30mgd would be provided.

The minister mentioned that talks were being held with the Water and Power Development Authority for the supply of water through electricity-run pumps.

Shoro said that at present the Hub Dam water level was 279.4 feet, up three feet from the dead level of 276 feet.

Earlier, the city used to get 100mgd from the dam before it went dry due to a lack of rainfall.

The minister said the resumption of the supply would help overcome the problem in various parts of District West, including Orangi Town, Baldia Town and SITE.

Replying to a question, he said the federal government had not yet provided its share. He held out the assurance that even if the share for the K- IV water project did not come from the Centre, the Sindh government would continue working on the project.

Shoro further stated that the Frontier Works Organisation had started the project and very soon media persons would be taken there on a visit.

He said the biggest mafia was people who stole water from water pipelines; “they are more dangerous than big hydrants”.

When his attention was drawn to reports of the registration of an FIR against the KWSB by owners of hydrants, he said the PPP government was used to facing such cases in court and had also registered a case against them under Section 14 (a), which called water theft a non-bailable offence and provided for 10 years’ imprisonment. KWSB MD Misbah Farid explained the salient features of the Hub Dam water supply and appreciated Shoro’s efforts to start the project, which, he said was an uphill task.

He thanked the Balochistan government and local residents for extending great cooperation in the water supply to Karachi.

He said a jetty was also under construction, after which the electric pumps would be installed. He also thanked Wapda Project Director Umer Tariq Khoso “helping a lot in making this Hub Dam project dream come true”.

Shoro along with the KWSB and KMC heads went down to the dam and saw the pumping process.