Out there: Dangerous manholes irk DHA residents

KARACHI:

Residents of an apartment building in Defence Housing Authority (DHA) Phase-IV have been grappling with the menace of dangerous open manholes for the last two months.

“Two 10-foot deep gutters, with a 30-foot gap, greet me outside the residence every day,” said a resident. The entire apartment building, including small shops downstairs, is at risk, according to him. The gutters, he said, are not overflowing but are uncovered. He said several applications have been filed by residents and he himself to the Cantonment Board Clifton (CBC) but no one took any action. However, according to CBC's sanitary inspector, Shabbir Hussain, it is impossible that a complaint was launched and no one took action. He said he would visit the area and address the problem. "It happens sometimes that a truck or a car hit the manholes' cover," he said, adding that in such case they may be unaware as DHA covers a large area.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 2^nd, 2016.