As heavy rain had battered the city a day before Eidul Azha, many residents of even posh localities could not offer Eid prayers due to the knee-deep rainwater in the streets.
A large number of people living in the upscale locality of Gulistan-e-Zafar Society in PECHS Block 6 could not step out of their homes to offer Eid prayers due to rainwater and the garbage that it had brought there.
“We didn’t sacrifice our animals as no butcher could enter our street,” said a young resident of the area, Zain Akber. He made several complaints to the authorities, but no one paid any heed.
All the animals in the society were tied inside houses while the residents were so helpless that they couldn’t even go out to bring animal fodder. “We were feeding them with homemade roti [bread]. This is not a Katchi Abadi or a society constructed in a remote area,” said Asma Karim.
“We are residing in one of the most upscale area of the city, adjacent of Sharea Faisal.” After a few of the residents took the issue to social media, the mainstream media thronged the society and the authorities sprang into action.
Residents of District Central’s FC area, behind the Citizens-Police Liaison Committee’s (CPLC) office were in a similar mess.
The Gujjar Nullah had overflowed after the heavy rainfall and flooded the entire area. The water eventually drained out but the filth and garbage was knee-deep. Umair Mirza, a resident of the area, had to move his animals to Nazimabad at his relative’s house for sacrifice. “We didn’t offer Eid prayers,” he lamented and asked where the authorities were. He claimed that not a single resident of the area was able to offer Eid prayers.
Animal entrails
There were many areas of the metropolis from where offal was not effectively collected on the first two days of Eid and residents felt helpless. Talking to The News, a Federal B Area resident, Muhib Alvi, complained of the stench of rotting offal which had engulfed the entire locality. “Walking in any street in the neighborhood is unbearable,” he said and decried sewage on the streets.
The situation was similar in Gulberg Town. Sheharyar had a wedding at his home on Wednesday, the third day of Eidul Azha, and his entire street was covered with animal entrails. “No one would even dare to bring his car in the area,” he said angrily. “Forget about stepping in the area.”
The Hussainabad food street had its entrance covered with piles of offal which prompted the residents and shopkeepers of the area to protest.
Speaking to The News, District Municipal Corporation (DMC) Central Chairman Rehan Hashmi said they were doing their best job within their limited resources. For the offal being dumped in Hussainabad, he said it was a temporary arrangement.
Hashmi admitted that the offal could not be effectively collected in his district on the first day of Eid but the situation improved on the second day. “Hussainabad and Gulberg are the areas where the maximum number of sacrifice takes place during Eidul Azha,” he said.
In District Korangi, the situation was miserable in the Kala Board area that had been engulfed by the stench of animal entrails.
Meanwhile, in District South, residents of the Pakistan Chowk area also complained of extreme delay by the authorities in collecting offal.
Animal entrails could also be seen floating in sewage at Jail Chowrangi in front of Chase superstore in District East.
The Sindh Solid Waste Management Board (SSWMB), the agency under the provincial government which is primarily responsible for managing solid waste in the city, operated in District East, District South, District West and District Malir.
As the DMCs of District Korangi and District Central have only recently allowed the board to operate in their limits, the staff of the respective DMCs was carrying out the cleaning work.