RAWALPINDI: The Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) has started dredging of Leh Nullah which will be completed by June 15 at a cost of Rs140 million.

Though the Met Office has predicted normal rains during the coming monsoon, there are chances of heavy rains in pre-monsoon period.

Wasa Managing Director Raja Shaukat Mehmood told Dawn that the agency had started dredging the Nullah from two sides. Two excavators entered the nullah from I.J. Principal Road and Gunjmandi bridge to clean it.

The third machine will clean the area from Murree Road to Ratta Amral. Problematic areas have been identified and work would be launched in two phases, he added.

“In the first phase, Wasa will clear garbage under bridges and in the second construction waste dumped along the nullah will be removed from I.J. Principal Road to Moti Mahal bridge on Murree Road.”

He said people dumped construction waste and garbage into the nullah and every year Wasa had to remove them spending millions of rupees. He said though the commissioner had imposed a ban, garbage and construction material waste were dumped into the nullah from the cantonment side.

He said Wasa had also dredged the nullah last year which helped protect the adjoining areas from flooding during the monsoon season.

Besides, the provincial government has provided Rs90 million for the construction of a cemented wall to protect the Pirwadhai graveyard. The construction of the wall would be completed by the end of May, he said.

On the other hand, Mayor Sardar Naseem directed the Rawalpindi Municipal Waste Company to clean 11 drains and nullahs to avoid flooding in the city.

Speaking at a meeting of the District Disaster Management Committee, the mayor asked building inspectors of Rawalpindi Municipal Corporation (RMC) to visit the city areas and issue notices to under-construction building owners not to dump debris into the Leh Nullah.

He asked the local police and administration to get vacated the banks of Leh Nullah at Gawalmandi and Katarian bridge as well as Railway Road near Pooriwala Pul from nomads.

Rescue 1122 was directed to make arrangements for the monsoon and establish camps along the Leh Nullah to provide first aid to the people in case of floods.

Published in Dawn, May 19th, 2018