Residents of localities along the Ferozepur are experiencing severe water shortage for the two days as a construction company working on the Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) has damaged the main water supply pipeline on the main artery in the provincial metropolis.
Residents of Icchra, Mozang, Shadman and Wahdat Colony were left high and dry quite literally, when the construction company damaged the water supply line from four different spots in the patch from Shah Jamal to Mozang. Not only that, many households received sewage instead of water from their water taps. Coupled with unannounced, long power outages, unavailability of water served as a huge blow to the people. The crisis further worsened because of the ongoing month of Ramadan when water becomes even more important than usual.
“We have been living without water for the past two days and it has been impossible for us. Everyone knows the importance of water, especially in the month of Ramadan. How are we going to perform Sehr and Iftar? There is no water to meet basic necessities,” Sajid Khan a resident of Icchra, told
Pakistan Today.
People gathered in long queues to get water from a tank near the WASA’s office. They also complained that the public representatives have stopped taking their calls, while they themselves are getting water supply through WASA tankers because of their influence.
“The government should make sure that the companies working on the BRTS should be careful during the construction and not damage such essential supplies as water pipeline causing such an inconvenience to the people. The local MPA is not taking our calls, where else do we go. The common folks only suffer,” another local explained his plight.
A lot of quarters have already expressed their reservations on the construction of such a mega project as BRTS, while such hiccups like this have further created resentment among the people already trying to cope with severe traffic problems due to it.
WASA SDO Hishaam told Pakistan Today that the construction company has given the undertaking that it will repair the damaged pipeline, while they have already done repairs at Mozang.
“We are trying our best to give water supply to as many people as possible through our tanker, but of course it can not be an alternative to resumed supply,” he added.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz MPA Hafiz Nauman was not available for comments despite repeated efforts.
