REGARDLESS of the Karachi Transformation Package worth Rs 1.1 trillion announced by the federal government in September last year to address the chronic municipal and infrastructure issues, there is no end to rain-related miseries of Karachiites.
Recent rains have once again wreaked havoc on the city’s ill-maintained civic infrastructure, fragile transmission and distribution system of the K-Electric (KE), as well as vehicular traffic on major thoroughfares.
Flooded roads, overflowing sewerage lines, extended power failures and traffic congestion have greatly disturbed the routine life of the people.
Poorly maintained electricity poles and open wires continued to claim lives as four people including a minor girl were reportedly died of electrocution on Saturday.
The question is as for how long the people will continue to suffer like this and will be left at the mercy of rains.
Time has come for the federal and provincial governments of Sindh to shun their petty political differences and work together to address the woes of the people.
One had pinned great expectations with the historic Karachi package but despite the passage of almost one year, there is little implementation on it.
There has been some progress on removing encroachments along the nullahs but there is a need to further accelerate it and those being displaced must be fully looked after and resettled somewhere else. The biggest issue of Karachi is the inadequacies of its solid waste disposal system.
It is estimated that the city generates twenty thousand tonnes of solid waste on a daily basis whilst the authorities concerned have the capacity to lift only three to four thousand tonnes a day.
The remaining waste is dumped in grounds, vacant plots, on the roadside, at public parks and along nullahs.
It has become imperative to equip the authorities concerned with latest tool and equipment and dispose of all the solid waste on scientific lines at landfill sites.
Public awareness about proper disposal of domestic waste is also essential to ensure that people do not throw waste directly into the storm-water drains.
