HYDERABAD: The cash-strapped and resource-constrained Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) is ill-prepared for coping with urban flooding as the city braces for the second spell of monsoon rainfall forecast to begin from July 14 according to as per meteorological department.

Fortunately, the first spell of rain has passed without causing any major damage and putting to test the fragile infrastructure of Wasa, which wholly relies on funds received from Sindh government to carry out its rain emergency operations.

But this monsoon season, the Sindh government has not so far issued any funds to Wasa to de-silt storm water drains and Nullahs to help drain out rainwater in the event of heavy rain.

The Met department predicts the second spell may continue till July 18. Hyderabad has so far received 135mm rainfall between July 5 and 10 at airport’s observatory and 113mm of rainfall at the city’s observatory.

The resource-constrained agency always looked towards Sindh government and district administration for meeting its financial needs, especially during rain emergency.

The agency used to receive subsidy from the federal government but it was discontinued two decades back in the first tenure of PML-N government and has not been restored since though Wasas in other major cities like Lahore and Faisalabad are still getting the subsidy.

It has hence always looked towards Sindh government for grant-in-aid and has not been able to improve its own recoveries for one or the other reason while Sindh Local Government department that administers Wasa has not come up with any roadmap to improve its performance.

Sindh secretary of finance Sajid Jamal Abro told Dawn that first and second quarter funds for unforeseen expenditures had already been released to districts. He was perhaps referring to a marginal allocation of unforeseen expenses amounting to Rs500,000 to Rs1m for any district.

The present Wasa management is carrying out de-silting work through contractors and getting pumps and machines on rent. “This is all being done on credit. Once the funds are released the liabilities will be cleared, otherwise they will keep accumulating,” said a Wasa official.

He said that around Rs30m had been spent on oil and petrol so far. “The amount has increased on account of rise in petroleum prices,” said the official.

The city’s large part is managed through open drains, which usually get heavily silted and require de-silting for one or the other reason. The cleaning work involves a great deal of efforts by Wasa officials and contractual labourers.

“While Karachi had to bear with a heavy spell of rainfall in just one day, we are spared by nature as we have received 100mm rainfall in four days which remains a blessing,” said a city resident.

Prolonged electricity breakdown by Hyderabad Electric Company always multiplies problems for Wasa, adding to its expenditures in terms of fuel expenses for standby generators. Since the oil prices keep skyrocketing, the fuel bill increases substantially.

According to another Wasa official, the Sindh Solid Waste Management Board was also assisting Wasa in ongoing rain emergency operations and helping it remove sludge from drains. “The board is providing vehicles for shifting the sludge from the storm water drains,” said an official.

Published in Dawn, July 14th, 2022