GUJRAT: The municipal corporation and the local administration have failed to drain out the rainwater from the city’s main commercial and residential areas despite the passage of two days since the rainfall.

Shortage of machinery, equipment and human resources are being cited by the authorities as the reason for the delay in resolving the issue.

There are reports that some machinery, including two sucking machines and other equipment, have been sent from Gujranwala Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) and Gujranwala Metropolitan Corporation to assist the Gujrat civic agencies.

The local administration claims that all the disposal stations and drainage system are working as per the capacity but the people of Gujrat are facing a real hardship in their routine life.

The roads and parking areas inside Aziz Bhatti Shaheed Teaching Hospital ABSTH, Zahoor Elahi Cricket Stadium and dozens of shop outside the stadium market, Rehman Shaheed Road, Shadman Colony, Marghzar Colony, Alipura Road and other such areas are submerged by the rainwater.

The furniture, goods and other relevant material at the shops near the stadium have been damaged as the rainwater entered them whereas a number of shopkeepers in other commercial and business areas have also complained of loss of their material and goods worth million of rupees due to urban flooding.

An official said that draining out the water from the ABSTH was more important due to sensitivity of the location while the videos and photographs of stagnant water there were causing embarrassment for the administration.

A political figure from the ruling PML-Q, who is working on the issue on behalf of provincial minister Chaudhry Shafay Hussain, says the affected shopkeepers should be given compensation by the government.

A senior official says the Gujrat MC had only two water sucking machines and a few dewatering sets, which were insufficient for a municipality of a divisional headquarters level.

He adds that according to an estimate, the city requires the new machinery and equipment worth around Rs 1.75 billion; however, making Gujrat Waste Management Company (GtWMC) functional may help the city in purchasing the required machinery. He says Gujranwala Commissioner Naveed Haider Sheerazi has also asked the provincial government to appoint a regular chief officer of Gujrat MC as the office is being held by Gujrat district council CO Malik Ibrar as additional charge for the last six months.

Published in Dawn, August 7th, 2024