Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Wednesday directed government officials to ensure clearance of storm water drains in Karachi, Hyderabad and other cities before the monsoon season. The chief minister was presiding over a meeting to review preparations for the coming monsoon season. The meeting decided for immediate cleaning of large drains in Karachi before the rainy weather. Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah directed Karachi Water and Sewerage Board to improve the underground drainage system for better water drainage in the city. The chief minister said that more rainfall is expected this monsoon due to the impact of climate change. Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah urged for immediate launching of cleaning drive of all drains in Karachi and other cities of Sindh. It is to be mentioned here that the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) earlier asked the provinces to make all the precautionary measures ready ahead of the monsoon season, as above-average rainfall is expected across the country this year. Earlier this month, the Pakistan Meteorological Department had predicted that the country would receive 10 percent cent extra rainfall than usual during the monsoon season. “Monsoon rainfalls may trigger urban flooding in respective metropolitan cities that merits cleanliness of waterways of problematic nullah/ tributaries and cleanliness of the drainage system,” according to the letters issued to the provinces. The Met Office had said that monsoon rainfall continues from July to September. It added that Sindh and Kashmir are likely to receive around 20% more rainfall than usual during the season.
