OUR Lady of Fatima Church, located at Randle Road, Garden East, Karachi, is an important heritage site of the city. Since its inauguration in 1953, it has been serving as a place of worship, as well as a community centre, for a large number of Catholic Christians who dwell around the vicinity.

What is sad to see is that the locality surrounding the church is infested with overflowing sewers, rundown roads and extreme levels of encroachment. Congested traffic jams and makeshift rickshaw stands add to the residents’ misery.

Over the years, residents have grown accustomed to the rapid commercialisation of the area. However, conditions during the past six months have become so appalling that it is now impossible to bear.

The sewerage drains, starting from the Anklesaria Hospital and running through the front of the church gate, are constantly overflowing.

The toxic waste piled at the gates of the church not only dishonours the sanctity of a place of worship but the sentiments of many of the community members.

However, the most important point of concern is that the environment has become so unhygienic that people have started getting sick. Numerous complaints have been sent to the town administration’s office only to be received by deaf ears.

It is, therefore, a sincere appeal to whosoever is in charge to at least clear the gutter lines surrounding the church area.

Brian Keith D’Mello
Karachi