A LARGE number of nullahs, big and small, flow through Islamabad. These natural streams and nullahs have been there for centuries, carrying down the rainwater from Margalla hills downwards towards rivers.

Over a period of time the bed level of these nullahs has been filled up owing to a rampant dumping of garbage and debris. As a result, even during a medium level rainfall these nullahs start overflowing, inundating nearby localities.

According to an estimate, about a quarter of Islamabad’s garbage and debris (from the construction material) ends up in these nullahs. Residents of nearby houses find it easier and quicker to dispose of any unwanted material at these places. CDA laws prohibit such actions but apparently there is no implementation.

Not only that, even the width of these nullahs has been reduced at many places. People are misusing the extra land facility with the plots allowed by the CDA rules. The extra land allowed to the residents has been extended at the cost of narrowing down the nullahs width.

I live at a place in F-11 sector where a nullah just passes in front of my house. Over a period of time not only its width has been reduced at many places because of extensions of extra lands but tonnes of garbage and debris can be seen in it, obstructing the smooth flow of rainwater. There is another unauthorised activity which is taking place. Many houses are dumping their sewerage into these nullahs.

I request the CDA to seriously look into this issue.

Cdre (r) Sajjad Ali Shah Bokhari

Islamabad

Published in Dawn, October 24th, 2016