KARACHI, May 13: The existing drainage system in the Old City areas, particularly in Lyari and Saddar Towns, built during the British rule, has almost collapsed and residents have called for overhauling the entire system.

Residents said that shortcomings in the present system got exposed during last monsoon when it caused severe flooding which disrupted services and damaged the property.

They held the civic agencies responsible for not taking effective measures for cleaning storm-water drains and removal of illegal constructions built over these drains.

They said these constructions were built without taking into consideration the fact that these would obstruct the natural storm-water flow to river and would cause storm-water disaster in the Old City areas.

They maintained that the present system could not cope the load of a growing population as it was designed to meet the needs of a smaller population. It was observed that the outdated system had often caused severe flooding in monsoon or rainy seasons, completely paralysing the civil life in the locality as was witnessed during the last monsoon.

Almost all the localities situated along the banks of Lyari River had been inundated and people had to suffer a lot as civic agencies had failed to drain out stagnant water from affected areas.

As a result, the adjoining areas along the Lyari River had been submerged. According to residents, most of the stormwater drains in the locality could not be cleaned up because of illegal constructions which included shops, markets, huts and buildings over the drains.

They also complained that open drains in the Old City areas were being used as dustbins for garbage and other solid waste disposal.