LAHORE, Feb 9: District Nazim Mian Amer Mahmood has directed the Water and Sanitation Agency of Lahore Development Authority to start work on eight stormwater drainage projects estimated to cost Rs209 million.

Presiding over a meeting of the authority here on Monday, the Nazim directed Wasa that seven projects for the improvement of stormwater drainage from Lakshmi Chowk, GPO Chowk, Old Anarkali, Nabha Road, Shahrah-i-Quaid-i-Azam, Lake Road, Khokhar Road, Aziz Road and Chowk Nakhuda prepared under instructions from Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi after his visit to the low-lying areas during the rainy season last year should be completed before the arrival of monsoons this year at a cost of Rs99 million.

Seven projects proposed to be executed before the arrival of the rainy season this year include installation of two 80 cusec pumps at the Main Outfall Pumping Station at a cost of Rs25 million, Thornton Road stormwater draianage system improvement at a cost of Rs3 million, construction of a new lift station on Lake Road at a cost of Rs4 million, improvement of the Central Drain near Chauburji at a cost of Rs4 million, rehabilitation of the sewerage system from Lakshmi Chowk to Main Outfall and Old Anarkali to Kutchery Road at a cost of Rs11 million, desilting and improvement of the Central Drain and the Cantonment Drain at a cost of Rs15 million and installation of two new 56 cusec pumps on the Khokhar Road Pumping Station at a cost of Rs37 million.

The District Nazim said that a comprehensive scheme should also be launched for stormwater draianage from the Northern Lahore areas between Misri Shah and Shadbagh at a cost of Rs110 million in two phases.

A proposal to utilize the Mian Mir Drain only for the disposal of stormwater and make alternative arrangements for disposal of sewage being drained into it to prevent spreading of foul smell in the areas in its vicinity from Lahore cantonment to Babu Sabu was also considered at the meeting.

All Wasa Sub-Divisional Officers were directed to make arrangements for planting maximum number of saplings along the banks of the stormwater channel during the forthcoming spring tree-plantation campaign.

It was also decided to complete desilting of all the stormwater channels in the city district before the arrival of the rainy season this year. City District Govcernment Solid Waste Management employees would assist the Wasa staff in desilting of the stormwater channels.

The meeting was attended by LDA Director-General Akhlaq Ahmed Tarrar, District Coordination Officer Khalid Sultam, WASA Managing Director Inam Qader and Wasa officials.