KARACHl: Deputy Mayor Dr Arshad Vohra has said mismanagement has been the root cause of water shortage in the metropolis.

Speaking at a panel discussion on `Water Wars` on Monday, Dr Vohra said the bulk water supply project K-IV, which had been initiated some nine years back, could not be completed on time with the result that its cost had increased manifold. `If we had completed this project five or six years ago, we would not have been facing this crisis,` he added.

The deputy mayor said the city required 1,100mgd (million gallons a day) water while it got merely 550mgd, indicating the need for 100pc increase in water supply. Shortage of water led the city to depend on occasional rains in the Hub region, as the Hub reservoir could feed the city if it got filled with enough rainwater, he said.

Dr Vohra demanded that the government take elected representatives and all other stakeholders on board and sincerely work on the issue to solve water crisis and associated problems. `Our young generation now has a clear view of the situation after [hearing] about water scenario and its causes. More such discussions in our colleges and universities on key issues will provide a good opportunity to youngsters to understand the real issues, and, then play their role [to resolve them] for a better tomorrow.` The gathering, which was organised in the Institute of Business Management, was earlier informed about a recent World Bank report that said the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board was a highly mismanaged organisation. If available water could be utilised properly, it could solve many issues regarding scarcity of water, it suggested.

Other panellists in the discussion included Prof Shahid Amjad, Hasan Habib, while rector and chief executive of the loBM Talib S. Karim also spoke.