KARACHI, Aug 5: Leaders representing opposition parties in the City Council have held the city government responsible for the massive dislocations caused by monsoon rains, saying that it had failed to discharge its duties.
At a press conference held at Karachi Press Club on Saturday, the leaders said that no proper arrangements had been made for the disposal of stagnant rainwater, as major storm-water drains had not been cleaned. They did not agree with the contention of the nazim that rainwater disposal could not be arranged due to electricity failure at the treatment plants. “It was also not correct to say that the nazim had held briefing sessions with the UC nazims regarding rain emergency measures, they said, adding that there were 50 opposition UC nazims, but they were least taken into confidence.”
According to them, the nazim had only held meetings with the officials who did not take any practical measures to overcome the situation despite the fact that there was normal rainfall in the city this time.
The opposition leaders claimed that the nazim had tried to misguide the public opinion by taking a media team to Clifton where he pointed out to the newsmen that the encroachments inside the drain created obstacles in the disposal of rainwater.
They were of the view that the city government could not absolve itself from the responsibility about massive destruction caused in the city as it was duty of the city government to prepare for any emergency in order to save life and property of public.
“Their much-publicised campaign about rain emergency plan had miserably exposed and it clearly showed that the city government had totally failed in performing its civic duties,” they said.
Asked about the suggestion of the nazim of a single authority in the city, they said that the idea of a single development agency for the city was a positive one, but the city government itself negated it when the merger of Lyari and Malir development authorities had been opposed.
The press conference was addressed by Saeed Ghani, Rafique Ahmed, Dr Ziauddin, Abdul Rashid Beg, Zahoor Jadoon and Junaid Mukati.
Al Khidmat, Awam Dost and other opposition group leaders in the City Council criticised City Nazim Mustafa Kamal for claiming “situation under-control” after rains and demanded judicial probe into the performance of city government, PPI adds.
They also demanded payment of compensation to over 20 persons, including children, killed in rain-related incidents, saying that the city government and the nazim were directly responsible for deaths of innocent people during the last five days.
They said that despite being in power for over a year, the city government took hardly any step to brace for monsoon rains.
“The city government claimed cleaning of rainwater drains but present condition of roads proves that they lied to people,” they said.
They also criticised the city government and the KPT for blaming each other for flooding of KPT underpass and said that residents of Clifton, especially Bath Island, were compelled to confine at their residences for over a week due to accumulation of rainwater in their locality.
“Karachi is presenting look of Moenjodaro as hardly a few millimetres of rain turned its roads into ponds of filthy water while no steps were taken to drain the accumulated rainwater from thoroughfares by the city government,” they alleged adding that people preferred not to leave homes for offices and workplaces.
Opposition leaders in the City Council said that Karachi, which was the gateway of Pakistan and contributed 70 per cent to the national exchequer, had been left at the mercy of the ‘incompetent’ and ‘blackmailers” who were still demanding more powers instead of providing any relief to the masses.
They deplored that no helpline, emergency centres or officials were deployed to listen to public grievances or to redress complaints. This situation compelled even a few supporters of ruling party to admit its incompetence in dealing with the city issues, they alleged.
According to them, Karachi had been receiving rains for the last many years, more than what lashed out the city a few days back but people never suffered so much. They said that there was nobody to take care of roads, roundabouts, provision of clean drinking water and maintain sewerage system in the city.
Al Khidmat and Awam Dost leaders also condemned KESC administration for its failure to ensure continuous electricity supply in the city, saying despite opposition from political parties and common people, it was privatised which resulted in power crisis in the city.
