KARACHI, Oct 26: Hundreds of people living in Mohammadi Colony of Keamari Town are facing serious health problems owing to a blockage in Kalri drain.

The drain that discharges raw material into the sea has been blocked due to sludge as well as back-flows caused due to high tides and fluctuations in ground-water that is almost at the mean sea-level.

Area people say that they had repeatedly drawn the attention of authorities towards the insanitary conditions prevailed in the colony. The overflowing sewage had flooded the streets and roads in the colony, they added. However, they regretted that no step had been taken for the remedy so far.

The residents said that they were exposed to serious health hazards owing to the poor sanitary conditions. Situated on the western side of sea-shore off Mauripur Road (UC-5) of Keamari Town, the colony had started surfacing on the reclaimed land of Karachi Port Trust in 1970.

Although the locality was below sea level, the area residents have managed to construct internal streets and getting installed the poles of street lights and electric connections by raising the ground level.

Lack of civic facilities has been the main cause of miserable conditions of the locality forcing a large number of people to live under sub-human conditions.

“The poor people of the colony are totally unaware of the risks of the horrendous life,” an NGO activist residing in the locality said. It was the responsibility of the government and civic agencies to save the people from any future eventuality, he added.