FAISALABAD: People of different localities of the city are facing problems due to choked sewerage and alleged negligence of the Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) officials who failed to deal with the situation after rains since Eidul Azha.

Heavy rain on Eid day started the issue, which has got worse with the new system of rains lashing the city. The people are running from the pillar to post for disposal of the rainwater and sewage from their areas.

Nisar Ahmed of Sulemania Colony says they have been facing the choked sewerage issue for many days and the Wasa officials have told them about the shortage of machines as they currently dealing with the entire city with only two suction machines. He says sewage is mixing with the tap water being supplied by Wasa and the situation may cause some catastrophe.

A couple of years ago, more than two dozen people had died after consuming the Wasa water in Ghulam Muhammadabad that led to the gastroenteritis outbreak.

Hammad Ahmed, a resident of Factory Area, says the officials knew that people would dump fodder and dung of sacrificial animals in the sewerage on the Eidul Azha but they had done nothing to deal with the situation. Due to the negligence of Wasa officials, he says, sewerage has got choked, leading to accumulation of sewage.

Muhammad Islam of Allama Iqbal Colony says cracks have appeared in the walls of his house as sewage is seeping into its foundation.

Wasa chairman Sheikh Shahid, talking to the media, says the heavy rain has created a plethora of problems for the Wasa and agency officials are trying their best to improve the situation.

He says the people had ignored requests to not to dump the sacrificial animals remains or fodder in the main lines. He says Wasa was established to cater to the needs of only 500,000 people of the city; however, the population had risen to four millions while Wasa’s resources did not increase.

Sheikh Shahid said Faisalabad received a record (132mm) rain on first day of Eid but the sewerage can handle only 15mm rain. Admitting that Wasa has been receiving plenty of complaints daily and such issues are being resolved immediately.

Published in Dawn, August 4th, 2021