RAWALPINDI, July 14: The district administration on Saturday imposed Section 144 along Leh Nullah and other major drains in the city as part of its preventive measures against any possible floods.

District Coordinating Officer (DCO) Saqib Zaffar said the ban on washing of clothes, cars and swimming in the drains would be implemented immediately and strict action would be taken against the violators.

Saturday’s rain in the catchment area of Leh Nullah caused a mild flood in the natural drain as water level remained high compared to that on Friday while at Katarian bridge, the water level rose to eight feet against 5.9 feet on Friday.

“Leh Nullah poses no threat to residents rather the latter are a threat to the natural drain. I have strictly banned disposal of waste into the drain and till the monsoon season is over, there should be no washing of cars, clothes or swimming and any other kind of activity in all the big drains, including Leh,” the DCO said.

Though army divers had been called for rescue missions in the wake of Met Office’s forecast for rains on Friday and Saturday, the DCO told Dawn that the divers and other rescue staff would perform duties for an indefinite period till the threat of foods diminished.

“Our primary target is to keep people at a bay from the vicinities of Leh Nullah and other drains. In rainy season, there is always significant flow of water in all the drains. In such a case, if people, particularly children swim there for fun, there are chances of casualties,” he added.

Managing Director Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) Raja Shaukat Mehmood told this reporter on phone that the 40mm rainfall in the catchment area of Leh Nullah on Saturday could not cause any flooding unless the rainfall was over 200 to 250mm.