With no respite from heat,water crisis adds to citizens’ woes

Karachi
Over two dozen children and elderly people were reported to have suffered heat related illnesses, whereas areas within District East witnessed a severe shortage of water as the city endured an extremely hot and dry weather for the third consecutive day on Friday.
The temperature was recorded at 41 degrees Celsius while humidity stood at a mere 16 percent, noted the Met department officials.
Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) senior director health claimed a total of ten patients were admitted to the Karachi Institute of Heart Diseases (KIHD), Abbasi Shaheed Hospital (ASH) and the Sobhraj Hospital while several others were taken to different public and private hospitals in the city.
However, the air pressure on the upper atmosphere, causing the rise in temperature, was expected to dissipate from Saturday onwards, bringing the temperature down to around 37 – 39 degrees Celsius.

Water crisis
Areas of district East including Gulshan-e-Iqbal and Gulistan-e-Jauhar were the worst hit, as water lines, following an irregular supply for the past couple of weeks, went completely dry owing to the rise in heat. Residents were forced to meet water requirements through water tankers.
A demonstration was also held near Mochi Morr by residents of Gulshan-e-Iqbal Block I, after Friday prayers, against prolonged water shortage. The protestors demanded of the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) to restore regular water supply to the area. Sindh chief minister and the provincial minister for local government were also urged to take notice of what was claimed to be an artificial water crisis.