1,800 Karachi factories closed as water suppliers halt services

KARACHI: In the city of Karachi, after the bursting of a water supply line at the Dhabeji location of the Karachi Water Corporation, contractors who were to supply groundwater to the SITE area and other industrial areas went on strike, affecting business in the industrial areas.

Ahmed Azim, President of the SITE Association, said that the industries in SITE require 50 million gallons of water daily, whereas the Water Corporation provides only 1-2 million gallons of water.

The rest of the requirement is catered to through contractors supplying water from underground to operate the factories.

He revealed that the line that exploded at Dhabeji has affected water supplies, particularly in industrial areas that face a water shortage. As a response, the water contractors declared a strike.

He further stated that the water shortage has affected 4,500 factories in SITE. Of these, 1,800 units cannot function without water and thus have been forced to close down.

Ahmed Azim stresses the point that, without delay, the Sindh Government and the Mayor of Karachi have to take steps, and keeping the industries running is imperative for the growth of the overall National Economy.