RAWALPINDI: The Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) has asked the Rawalpindi Metropolitan Corporation (RMC) to remove encroachments and illegal parking spaces along the banks of Leh Nullah as they created hurdles in the smooth flow of water.

However, RMC Chief Officer Ali Abbas said though the corporation had not received a letter, a team has been deployed to start a survey of the area along the nullah to check the encroachments and illegal parking spaces.

In a letter, Wasa Deputy Managing Director Saleem Ashraf informed RMC that since Leh Nullah served as a major drainage ravine for carriage of storm water from Islamabad, annual dredging and desilting of the nullah should be carried out to check flooding and protect human life and property in and around vulnerable points. He said Wasa was also carrying out the same work every year.

“It has been observed that garbage and building waste material are being dumped on the banks of the nullah. This illegal dumping of garbage and building material has become a daily routine which has narrowed down the right of way of Leh Nullah,” he said.

Garbage, building waste material being dumped along nullah, says Wasa

The RMC was requested to take immediate action against dumpers and those responsible for dumping waste to avoid any untoward incidents in future, adding the municipal function of building control and removal of encroachments was with the RMC.Wasa also requested Rawalpindi Waste Management Company to install additional waste collection bins on the banks of the nullah, especially from Katarian to Gawalmandi Bridge, as this area is most vulnerable to illegal dumping of waste.

Trucks and other goods transport vehicles have come up with a novel idea of dumping construction waste on the banks of Leh Nullah to create space for parking their vehicles in the congested Raja Bazaar and other areas.

Just behind Ganjmandi police station and near a bridge, loading vehicles can be seen parked along Leh Nullah.

A senior official of Wasa told Dawn that encroachments on the banks of Nullah Leh at Katarian Bridge were also visible where a marriage hall and other commercial outlets used the banks of the nullah for parking.

He said Wasa was worried as encroachments had reduced the width of the nullah which could create hurdles in the smooth flow of water from Islamabad and other parts of the garrison city.

When contacted, RMC Chief Officer Ali Abbas said they would remove encroachments along the nullah soon and a survey had been started to identify the encroachments in the limits of RMC area.

He said the civic body already had vacated encroached lands in different parts of the city and two days ago 16 marla worth Rs300 million was retrieved in Bohar Bazaar after 30 years.

He said the RMC would also vacate the banks of nullah from encroachments. He said action would be started in a day or two.

Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) Chairman Tariq Mehmood Murtaza said after removing encroachments from the banks of Leh Nullah, trees would be planted on the banks.

Published in Dawn, February 7th, 2021