KARACHI: The city administration has asked the provincial local government ministry to direct the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) to carry out an effective desilting campaign before the advent of the rainy season to save people from drowning in storm drains and sewers, it emerged on Saturday.

In a letter written to the secretary of the LG ministry, Karachi commissioner Asif Hyder Shah referred to a recent incident of drowning of a child named Abdul Hannan in a Pak Colony drain, which he said was not the first incident of its kind.

“These drains, which are supposed to drain out excessive water, have devoured a large number of citizens of Karachi,” the commissioner said.

He wrote that he had personally inspected these drains and “even a layman can infer that they are either completely choked or encroached upon”.

He added: “sometimes, children have been spotted using them as playing fields. In a nutshell, these drains are being used for all purposes, but to drain storm water.”

The commissioner said the meteorological office had already hinted at unpredictable weather conditions, which might result in unprecedented rains. He requested the government to ask the KMC and district municipal corporations in the city to carry out an effective desilting campaign well before the rainy season.

He said the relevant district authorities of Karachi had already been advised to extend full cooperation and support in getting the illegal encroachments removed.

However, the LG ministry, being the controlling agency of all municipalities, had to take the leading role, he added.

Published in Dawn, March 6th, 2016