July 16, 2008	Wednesday	Rajab 12, 1429

KARACHI, July 15: With the onset of monsoon rains, most towns of the city are still unprepared to cope with the post-rain situation due to lack of infrastructure, incomplete development projects and poor financial situation.

The pre and post-rain performance of all the 18 towns during the last two years was unimpressive as it took them many days to de-water roads and streets. It is a responsibility of towns and union councils to drain out accumulated rainwater from internal roads and streets though in the absence of a proper storm-water drainage system, most of the towns will be unable to do so.

Most of the towns, which are not properly equipped with the heavy machinery, de-watering pumps and generators, cannot avoid a flood-like situation in the low-lying areas in case of showers.

While the city government has managed to reconstruct some thoroughfares, work on a number of internal roads dug up since long have not been completed. And as such there will be a grave danger for pedestrians and motorists in case of heavy rain. The poor financial condition of the towns did not allow them to complete the ongoing development projects.

Requesting anonymity, a town nazim told Dawn that he did not have sufficient funds to carry out relief work during rain. “We do not have funds to meet rising fuel expenses. A drastic cut in our grant will definitely have an effect on our performance during rain,” he remarked.

However, every town maintaining past traditions prepared its own rain emergency plan for this monsoon and forwarded it to the city government’s municipal services department so that it could prepare an integrated contingency plan.

Not relying completely on their plans, the city government has asked each town administration to put their machinery, including de-watering pumps, in order before the season’s first rainfall. “I know the city government would be on the forefront during rain and the town and other stakeholders will follow it,” observed Executive District Officer (Municipal Services) Masood Alam.

Commenting on the situation during the last two monsoons, Mr Alam claimed that all the towns, except Gulshan-i-Iqbal, Site and Saddar towns, failed to mobilise their resources during the rain and looked for the city government’s help.

“This year towns must respond first. They will have to remove fallen trees and de-water roads to maintain traffic flow,” he said.

He said the 18 towns and 13 other stakeholders, including the Karachi Electric Supply Company, the Sui Southern Gas Company and the Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited were already onboard to coping with the coming rains.

The EDO claimed that the de-silting work of major nullahs and storm-water drains was about to be completed and this year citizens would face minimum trouble due to rain.

However, a source in the city government told Dawn that the old city areas might be flooded in case of heavy rains due to encroachment on major sewerage drains.