RAWALPINDI: The Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) will complete the construction of retaining wall along Leh Nullah near Pirwadhai Graveyard by April.

Wasa Managing Director Raja Shaukat Mehmood told Dawn that the government had released Rs90 million funds for the project.

The retaining wall will begin from Pirwadhai Bridge and ends at Dhoke Dalal.

He said that during monsoon, the land sliding occurred in the area and it damaged the oldest graveyard and the residential areas around the Leh Nullah.

The Punjab government has approved the project and on the request of the residents of the area.

“Wasa will make sure that the 1200 feet long and 38 feet high retaining wall is ready by April before the start of dredging of Leh Nullah,” he said and added that the dredging of nullah would be started by mid-April for smooth flow of rain water in coming monsoon.

He said Wasa had requested the government to release funds for the dredging to remove the hurdles and island created in the nullah due to dumping of construction material and municipal waste.

“Though the commissioner had banned dumping of garbage and construction material waste in Leh Nullah, the cantonment areas continued this practice,” he said.

He said that the Leh Nullah survey was started and it would be completed within a week or two to identify the hurdles in the Leh Nullah. He said a joint committee of civic bodies had been formed to stop the dumping of garbage in the nullah.

Published in Dawn, February 21st, 2018