Staff Reporter
The roads and streets in the most areas of the city are swamped with rain water after the monsoon system hit the city on early Monday morning.
The drainage system of the city has failed to cope with the light to medium rain. The shattered sewerage system and garbage littered on streets and roads made the situation worse for Karachiites; especially for those walking on foot and on bikes.
In low lying areas, the rain water carrying sewage has entered the houses. Besides complaints of mixing sewage water drinking water, in many areas the people suffered acute shortage of drinking water because the electricity supply system of K-Electric remained suspended after the city received monsoon rain. The rain has also made very difficult for the sellers and those who have purchased sacrificial animals to keep these. The cattle markets — most of these temporarily set up at various sports of the city- are filled with rain water and mud. This created serious problems for the traders to feed their animals and save them from different diseases due to unhygienic environment there.
The people have expressed their concern over the alleged failure of the civic bodies of this mega city to deal with the situation after first monsoon rain. On the other hand, the City Government and Sindh Government are making claims that the respective organizations/systems were working very efficiently and the situation was under control. The people are afraid of the worst situation in the wake of heavy rain forecast during next 24 hours.
Meanwhile, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah in order to cop up rain emergency has directed Local Government department to activate all civic agencies in the city and other districts of the province to drain out rain water accumulated in low lying areas, depressions and from the roads.
He has directed Local Government Ministers Saeed Ghani and Energy Minister Imtiaz Shaikh to ensure proper water supply and dewatering in all the districts receiving heavy rains by ensuring power supply by K. Electric and Hesco. Shah said that officials of local bodies, water board and WASA must be activated to keep clearing manholes to drain out rain water from roads. The nalas in Karachi and Hyderabad were being cleansed so that they could intake and dispose of rain water.
He added that dewatering pumps should be installed at the low lying areas on generators. ‘ There is forecast of heavy rains for three days, therefore round the clock working in shifts must be ensured,’ he said. Shah told Energy Minister to talk to Hesco where all 12 feeders have tripped while in Karachi, most of the areas were without electricity from early morning of Monday, for restoration of power supply. He added that K. Electric and Hesco were on board in rain emergency meetings, then why they could not make emergency plans, he questioned.
The chief minister also directed IG police to direct district police to help people in difficult situation. ‘People must feel secure and safe in presence of policemen,’ he said and added the traffic police particularly in Karachi and Hyderabad must help people for smooth flow of traffic.
Shah further urged people of Sindh, particularly of Karachi to cooperate with civic agencies, police and other government officials in serving them. He urged citizens not to allow their children from playing in accumulated rain water pools on the road and even stop them bathing in the sea.
