Government negligence: Choked drains pose flood risk

Monsoon rains expected to make matters worse.

RAWALPINDI: With the added threat of monsoon rains around the corner, choked drains in multiple areas of Rawalpindi have contributed to a heightened risk of flooding, despite which civic authorities have failed to initiate cleanup or dredging efforts, it was observed on Saturday.

Visits to different areas in the cantonment limits have revealed that most major and minor drains and waterways are choked with solid waste, garbage, and shrubbery.

Wide drains flow through Westridge, Chaklala, Saddar, Tench Bhatta, Dhoke Syedan, Kamalabad, Dhamial Aviation Base, Tulsa Road, and Dheri Hassanabad.

“Last year, six people were killed when an overflowing stream in Westridge washed them away”, said Muhammad Saleem, a resident of the area. He said that the residents’ repeated requests that the waterways be cleaned had fallen on deaf ears.

“The stream passing through Kamalabad becomes very dangerous during monsoons. It is completely choked, but cantonment authorities have made no effort to clear it,” said Raja Yasir Ali, who lives in Dhoke Syedan. He noted that it is also the responsibility of residents not to throw garbage and waste material in the waterways.

Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB) Spokesperson Qaisar Mahmood said the cantonment authorities are fully prepared to tackle flooding in the city. He said that a monitoring team has been established to perform risk assessment during the monsoon season.

The spokesperson claimed that RCB staff has cleaned all major waterways to ensure that the water keeps moving during the rainy season.

He said the RCB had also launched an awareness campaign on the risks presented by dumping litter and garbage in open drains.

Mahmood said that RCB Executive Officer Dr Saima Shah had cancelled Eid holidays for employees who have been selected to perform monitoring duties over the break.

Chaklala Cantonment Board Vice President Raja Irfan Imtiaz was unavailable for comment.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 3^rd, 2016.