SUKKUR, Jan 10: The people residing in the Old Sukkur, Queens Road, New Pind, Shahi Bazaar and Frere Road suffered water shortage for the third consecutive day.

The people attending Friday prayers in the mosques faced much difficulty in the absence of water.

Tankers were seen supplying water to a few of the mosques in the area affected by non-supply of water and regular announcements were heard before the Friday prayers urging the people to arrange for ablution for the prayers at their homes.

The Sukkur Municipal Corporation had installed pipelines on the other side of the river but the water could not be supplied as the water had gone below the level of the installed pipes.

The flow of water is only 4,000 cusecs and the level of water is being reduced every passing day.

The citizens complained about improper arrangement to overcome the problem of water shortage encountered every year for the past three years during the desilting of canals.

They called upon the municipal administration to chalk out a permanent strategy for regular supply of water at the time of desilting of the canals.

Throngs of people are seen around the tubewells and in some places people are also seen quarrelling for their share of water.

HOSTAGE FREED: The Nazim of the Misripur union council, Ahmed Ali Khoso, who was kidnapped over two weeks ago, was released by the dacoits on Friday.

Sources said that some important personalities of Balochistan had played a vital role for his release.

However, Rs650,000, snatched by the outlaws at the time of the kidnapping, remained unrecovered.

BODY FORMED: An environmental coordination committee, headed by the district coordination officer, has been formed to tackle major ecological issues affecting Sukkur and Rohri.

The decision to form the committee was taken during a meeting held under the chairmanship of the director general, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Sindh, Shafiq Ahmed Khoso.

The DCO briefed the participants about the deteriorating quality of water supply, improper disposal and the need for shifting of cattle pens from residential areas and their impact on human health.

He extended the assurance regarding arrangement of financial support from donors as well as technical assistance for developing landfill sites in Sukkur.

Stressing the need for proper disposal of garbage, he said that he would fully support the acquisition of an incinerator for Sukkur for disposal of hazardous hospital waste.