QUETTA: The Quetta Metropolitan Corporation (QMC) and the irrigation department have jointly prepared a comprehensive plan to restore rain nullahs to their original design by removing all encroachments.

This initiative aims to protect the provincial capital, Quetta, from urban flooding, which the city recently experienced during heavy rains.

QMC Administrator Muhammad Hamza Shafqaat said on Sunday that Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti has taken serious notice of the urban flooding situation and directed the launch of a drive to remove all constructions illegally built by people on the rain nullahs.

“Rain nullahs were encroached upon at 82 locations, causing blockages in the flow of rainwater during heavy rains,” he said. The campaign to clean garbage dumps and open all blocked drains has been accelerated to transform Quetta into a clean city.

He also urged citizens to maintain environmental cleanliness and remove encroachments on nullahs. Sewerage lines are causing a massive stench, and the disposal of plastic bags and other solid waste leads to the blockage of the smooth flow of nullah water.

Published in Dawn, April 22nd, 2024