Shah Khalid Colony wastewater diversion hits nearby areas

As the nullah is not dredged before rainy season and the clean-up process starts late, the Street 10-D of Shah Khalid Colony and Street-III Salahuddin Avenue of Fazal Town Phase-I located behind Butt Market, get flooded every time there is a downpour. During the peak monsoon season rainwater gushes into many houses and damages household goods.

“It has become a symbol of the extreme apathy shown by successive local governments towards residents of the area raising this issue for years. It never received a much-needed impetus, says Fazal Hussain, a retired air force guy.

Saulat Reza, a member of the Mohallah Committee (a citizen body formed to get fixed the problems related to that locality) of the area living in that street says: “This Nullah issue has been in a state of indeterminate state for the past many years. We have been actively taking it up with the concerned authority, with no results.”

“Every year, we face great difficulties and losses during monsoon as the clean-up process never starts before monsoon. It’s a long-standing problem. Since the time the wastewater of nullah of Shah Khalid Colony was diverted to these streets, it has played havoc with them,” says Farhat Abbas, a retired army man.

Amjad Ali, a government employee, says: “About a quarter of Nazir Colony, Shah Khalid Colony and other localities’ trash and rubbish ends up in this nullah. Residents of adjoining houses find it easier to dispose of any undesirable material in this nullah.”

“Over a period of time the bed level of this nullah has been filled up owing to rampant dumping of waste material. As a result, even during a medium level rainfall this nullah starts overflowing, inundating nearby localities,” adds Amjad.

“This nullah passes in front of my house. Tons of garbage and debris can be seen in it, obstructing the smooth flow of rainwater. My younger son recently suffered serious skin ailments after he got wet in the clogged rainwater. When I took him to a neighboring clinic, it was diagnosed that he was suffering from fungal infection. The consulting doctor advised me not to let him come in touch with clogged rainwater,” says Murad Hasan, a shopkeeper in the area market,” says Oun Haider.

“Among the factors contributing to problems in these streets, the topmost is diversion of Shah Khalid Colony nullah towards these streets. Tehsil Municipal Administration (TMA) working in a systematic manner should involve all stakeholders in order to provide relief to the sufferers,” adds Oun.

The SDO visiting the area told the residents that even laying down new pipes won’t stop the deluge, the only solution is to divert the nullah wastewater to its earlier route.