KARACHI, Dec 21: The famous Kalri Nullah which discharges raw sewage into the sea has been blocked owing to sludge.

It has also rendered the sewerage system of the nearby localities inoperative, causing miseries to residents of Machhar Colony and Muhammadi Colony.

Confirming that the drain had been blocked sometime back, the KWSB sources attributed it to dumping of solid waste as well as back-flows caused due to high tides and fluctuation in ground-water which is almost at the mean sea-level.

When the attention of an officer of the KWSB was drawn towards the filthy environment in Muhammadi Colony and Machhar Colony where pools of sewage could be seen on streets, they said the sewerage line laid long ago had been rendered in-operative owing to blockade of Kalri Nullah and the area can now only operate on cess-pool system for removal of night soil/excreta.

In this regard, they also said although the KWSB, in cooperation with the rangers, had provided four water connections for community taps last year, the locality’s residents had started selling water on donkey-carts due to their limited requirements whereas the neighbourhood in Lyari was facing water shortage due to continuous wastage for which there was no disposal of waste water/human waste.

Meanwhile, residents of Machhar Colony and Muhammadi Colony said they were exposed to serious health hazards owing to poor sanitary conditions.

Situated on the western side of sea-shore off Mauripur Road (Union Council-5 of Keamari Town), both the squatter settlements/ slums had started surfacing on the reclaimed land of Karachi Port Trust sometime in 1970, but due to their hazardous location these were washed away on June 30, 1977, when the city had received 3 inches rains in 24 hours.

The sources in katchi abadi department said these localities were declared un-regularisable because those residing in these squatter settlements were sitting on unhealthy hazardous situations over sea-bed where there was no possible disposal of human waste.

They said although the locality was below mean-sea-level, the residents of the area have managed to construct internal streets and in getting installed pole/lights/ electric connections by raising the grounds.

They got unauthorised water connections from 18- inch water main serving Lyari during political governments. Even during those days it was decided that the area people be rehabilitated in Baldia Township because they are sitting on unhealthy hazardous conditions over sea-bed.

Machhar Colony and Muhammadi Colony in UC-5 are located on the reclaimed land belonging to the KPT and this also restricted the KPT’s harbour expansion project.

“The poor people of both the localities are unaware of the risks and hence the city government should immediately rehabilitate them either in Baldia or Deh Tehser,” they suggested.