KARACHI, Aug 13: The recent heavy spell of rains has turned several streets of Defence Housing Authority’s phases 4, 5 and 6 into virtual lakes and action from the civic agencies concerned is still awaited.

The submerged and stinking streets of the localities are becoming mosquito breeding grounds raising fears of outbreak of various diseases.

Criticising the relevant civic agencies, Defence Housing Authority and Clifton Cantonment Board, area residents said that despite repeated complaints no action had been taken by these civic bodies so far.

A perturbed resident of Defence Phase IV told Dawn that although around three-and-a-half feet rainwater was stagnant on all the four streets of Golf Course Road since Saturday, neither the DHA nor the CCB had, so far, taken measures to drain out water.

Calling from DHA off Khayaban-i-Sehr, a resident Hasan Ali told Dawn that since the day it had rained his life along with the rest of his neighbours had been turned into a nightmare.

“I have tried calling Cantonment Board, DHA office but no one is even attending the phones. After getting frustrated I rang up Governor’s House. They listened to my complaint but saying that cantonment area does not fall in their jurisdiction passed on a phone number of the cantonment board. Then I called the CM’s house; they did the same,” Mr Ali said.

He said that the city nazim’s secretariat was the only ray of hope as they were now considering shifting the de-watering equipment to the DHA areas but could not give a timeframe.

Residents of Defence Phase-V also complained that a couple of streets which were submerged in the wake of Saturday’s rains had not yet been cleared of stagnant water, causing great hardships to them, besides creating a filthy environment in the locality.