KARACHI Three days after the last drop... Stagnant water adds to citizens’ miseries: Performance of city govt, DHA and cantonment boards criticised
By Tahir Siddiqui
KARACHI, Aug 9: There was no end to the sufferings of Karachiites on Wednesday as the stagnant rainwater continued to wreak havoc on the roads and streets in almost every part of the city for the 12th day.
While the puddles and pools of stagnant rainwater on the roads and streets affected the flow of traffic in many areas, the water slowly drained away in some parts of the city.
Children in many localities went swimming in dirty water, exposing themselves to an apparent threat of waterborne diseases. “These ponds of dirty water must not be used as swimming holes,” a doctor warned.
Stinking water remained clogged in and around the Empress Market. “It has become impossible for me to get to the market due to the pool of filth here,” said a woman who had reached the market to buy vegetables.
The surroundings of other markets and shopping centres in Saddar also gave a repulsive look as customers and passers-by found it too difficult to avoid the puddles and filth. “There seems to be no civic agency working in the city,” a shopkeeper at the Saddar Electronics Market said.
“Someone should have sued the city government after such light rains turned the roads and streets into lakes,” another shopkeeper remarked.
Several roads and streets, including Sarwar Shaheed Road, Depot Lines, Rizvi Shaheed Road, Sagheer Hussain Shaheed Road, Daudpota Road and Rafiqee Shaheed Road, have been in poor condition after the rains.
The residents of the areas under the control of different cantonment boards complained that they were deprived of basic civic amenities as there had been no local body election in these areas for the past eight years.
People at large were unable to understand how such a light rain exceeded the capacity of the city’s rainwater sewer system. “Water seeped into our garages, basements and even into our underground water tanks and roadways turned into ponds due to such a low-intensity rain,” a resident of Bath Island said.
The civic agencies even failed to drain away stagnant water from parts of Sharea Faisal. “Couldn’t the president or visiting federal ministers notice the stinking water at least on Sharea Faisal while on their way from the airport,” said a man waiting for bus at Nursery bus stop.
Reports from Landhi and Korangi were not different. “Come and see the heaps of filth and dirt in this vicinity. Ankle-deep stagnant water at Korangi Chowk speaks enough of the efficiency of our civic agencies,” said an irate resident on phone.
Hundreds of vehicles moved bumper-to-bumper at a snail’s place at the Quaidabad intersection due to wrecked road. There are holes all over the road from the intersection to the Murghi Khana bus stop. “It seems that the entire road has been washed away,” a bus driver said.
In New Karachi, people faced a great deal of hardship due to submerged roads and streets. “It is impossible by all means to avoid filth and dirt while walking through the inundated streets,” a resident said.
The streets in many localities, including Malir, Khokrapar, Saudabad, Model Colony, Moeenabad, Malir Halt, Wireless Gate, Chota Gate, Star Gate, Green Town, Shah Faisal Colony and Drigh Road Bazaar, remained inundated.
Filth and puddles remained there in parts of district West such as Baldia Town, Saeedabad, Banaras Chowk and Orangi Town.
“Is there any locality in the city where you don’t find filth and puddles, or roads and streets flooded with stinking stagnant rainwater?” asked a resident of Gulistan-i-Jauhar. “What are our civic agencies waiting for? Do they want the sun to dry this accumulated water?”
Meanwhile, the situation in the worst-affected area, Gulshan-i-Faisal, Bath Island, started improving slowly as the rainwater receded considerably. Agha Hameed, a resident, told Dawn that the situation improved to the extent that he was able to take his ailing wife to the doctor for the first time in 12 days.
While the inundated roads, streets and localities have made the life of the citizens miserable, the entire city has been flooded with mosquitoes and flies, adding to their woes.
Several streets in the Defence Housing Authority remained flooded with stagnant rainwater and overflowing sewage.
“The sewage on the 26th Street of the DHA has been overflowing for many days, but the civic agency concerned has done nothing to overcome the problem,” a resident said. Another resident said that he had lodged a complaint about the overflowing gutters to the authorities concerned but to no avail. “Every time the officials said the problem would be solved within 24 hours, and now I have given up even calling their office,” the dismayed resident added.
The rainwater and sewage kept on playing havoc in Gulshan-i-Iqbal. “Is it really that difficult to drain away the accumulated water?” asked Dr Talat of Block 6. “I am sure that this filth and dirt can be lifted away with a little effort, but who will make this little effort,” she said.
KARACHI, Aug 9: There was no end to the sufferings of Karachiites on Wednesday as the stagnant rainwater continued to wreak havoc on the roads and streets in almost every part of the city for the 12th day.
“Someone should have sued the city government after such light rains turned the roads and streets into lakes,” another shopkeeper remarked.
Reports from Landhi and Korangi were not different. “Come and see the heaps of filth and dirt in this vicinity. Ankle-deep stagnant water at Korangi Chowk speaks enough of the efficiency of our civic agencies,” said an irate resident on phone.
Meanwhile, the situation in the worst-affected area, Gulshan-i-Faisal, Bath Island, started improving slowly as the rainwater receded considerably. Agha Hameed, a resident, told Dawn that the situation improved to the extent that he was able to take his ailing wife to the doctor for the first time in 12 days.
