MUCH has been written and talkedon the state of civic services in the province from Karachi to Kashmore in the last many years. Criticism was expected to bring some positive effect on rulers and the people who matter would mend their ways to bring improvement in the civic services.

To the dismay of observers and common citizens that greater criticism has made the officialdom even much more lethargic and inactive. With passing time the plight of Sindh’s towns is worsening. Last week I was in Jacobabad, and felt abjectly helpless and hapless, like thousands of other citizens, watching the conditions of the city. Garbage and trash not only heaped all around but almost every road/ street was covered with plastic bags and trash. People were forced to tread upon the garbage to make their way.

Most roads and thoroughfares were uneven and dilapidated, making the life of both pedestrians and motorists much difficult.

Noise coming from unbridled roaming around by autorickshaws, despite a ban on their operation by the Sindh High Court, was unbearable and likely to cause fatal diseases among the population which, unfortunately, appeared quite unaware of the hazard of noise pollution. People continue to use brackish water as the much-trumpeted USAID-funded water scheme is still struggling to start even beyond a few years after its planned date of inauguration.

The greater disappointment of a conscious man was to see that so-called district administration completely unmoved.

Even greater disappointment was to observe the whole society badly affected by this state of apathy of which a tiny picture has been given here as sufferings of people at the hands of civic agencies are manifold.

The chief minister should visit one town or a city a week as this will make the local administration up and doing, thereby minimising the problems of the people to some extent.

Abdul Samad Channa

Karachi

Published in Dawn, March 31st, 2018