Govt concedes considerable delay in de-silting of storm water drains

Sindh’s information and local government minister has admitted to a considerable delay in the de-silting of storm water drains in Karachi before the start of the monsoon season owing to the late availability of funds from the World Bank for the purpose.

Syed Nasir Hussain Shah said this on Tuesday while talking to the media during his visit to different rain-affected areas of the city to supervise the emergency drainage works. The LG minister also admitted that certain parts of the metropolis had experienced urban flooding as a result of the latest spell of monsoon showers.

“But most of the localities that were deluged are situated towards the city’s west. For instance, Manghopir and Qasba Colony received rainwater from the [nearby] hills because these localities are low-lying.”

Shah said the Sindh government had fully authorised Karachi Mayor Wasim Akhtar and CLICK (WB-funded Competitive and Livable City of Karachi) Project Director Zubair Channa to carry out de-silting of storm water drains in the city, claiming that both of them had succeeded to a great extent in completing the gigantic task.

The minister said the provincial government in collaboration with the leadership of the city’s elected local government had started taking emergency preventive measures before the start of the monsoon.

He said the Sindh government had been using all its resources and manpower to ensure the people’s welfare. “But it is our appeal to the people that they extend support to the government. And if our opponents can’t help us, the least they could do is not create an atmosphere of fear.”

He acknowledged that charitable organisations along with the Karachi Water & Sewerage Board, the Sindh Solid Waste Management Board, the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation, the district municipal corporations and other municipal agencies had provided rescue services to people in distress during the monsoon rain.

He said that even developed countries become helpless during natural calamities, including heavy floods. He explained that Karachi is located by the sea and is densely populated. Shah said Karachi had several shanty and suburban settlements that came into existence during the previous governments’ eras. “Like its population, the problems of the city are umpteen and complicated in nature.”

He claimed that the overall situation of Karachi had been improving, and that rainwater had been cleared from a number of affected areas and choking points across the city. He said the municipal staff of the city had immediately sprung into action to drain out the accumulated rainwater on the complaints of the residents of the affected areas.

He also said that genuine representatives of the people were those who were present on the roads among the people to struggle to resolve their civic issues during the monsoon season. “The record-breaking rains in Karachi have shown to the people who genuinely feel their pain as well as those who have become fearful of the adverse public reaction.”

He appreciated the services of the municipal staff performing emergency duties to “effectively” avert any civic disaster. He visited the Liaquatabad, Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Saddar, Garden, Orangi Town, North Nazimabad, Nagan Chowrangi, Nipa, Kamran Chowrangi, Star Gate, Natha Gate and Qayyumabad areas among other parts of the city.