The Prime Minister Office has conveyed displeasure to the civic agency over last month flooding of the historical Saidpur Village and the Diplomatic Enclave after excessive rains.
According to the sources, the Prime Minister Office’s snub has come following a strong protest by a number of the European missions housed within the Diplomatic Enclave. A European country’s embassy was even forced to suspend the visa issuing operation due to overflooding of its basement and some portion of the ground floor.
The prime minister office has been contacted by these foreign missions fearing that the situation might recur as the Met Office has forecast another spell of rain coming week, said the sources.
They have also informed that the CDA’s teams were neither appropriately equipped nor their response was quick as it should have been in a situation of emergency. It was only after the news of Diplomatic Enclave flooded by rain water was flashed on the national and the social media that the CDA spurred into action but by that time it was too late, the sources further said.
Likewise, in Saidpur Village too, floodwater played havoc sweeping away a number of bikes and a car.
It was almost 11 days after a retired army officer and his daughter went missing that the rescue teams found the missing car on Saturday. The retired colonel’s body was found yet his daughter is still missing. The vehicle is recovered from a storm water drain near Kaak Bridge in Rawalpindi.
According to the sources in the PM Office, heads will roll and changes will be made at the top level in the civic agency very soon. It is because of illegal construction and land-grabbing along natural drains and waterways all across the federal capital that the CDA might undergo an overhaul. The unauthorized construction during the last three decades has narrowed down the right of way of the natural nullah in Saidpur Village, they said.
A comprehensive report regarding the loss of property and lives will also be presented to the Prime Minister and in the light of the report, corrective measures will be taken, said the official sources.
It may be mentioned here that Senate’s Standing Committee on Water Resources has also expressed serious concerns over the loss of lives and property in the last month flooding of historical Saidpur village and directed the Chairman of the CDA to present in person and submit a report in this regard.
On death of the retired colonel and missing of his daughter, the committee held that it was the failure of the authorities concerned as at least safety grills should have been installed on bridges and low-lying area to avoid loss of lives and vehicles. The CDA has also been asked to brief the committee upon the data regarding encroachments on the nullahs and waterways in Islamabad Capital Territory.
