Jhang in the grip of faulty sanitation and sewerage conditions

Special funds needed to acquire machinery and manpower to clean up the city.

FAISALABAD: The issue of faulty sanitation and sewerage system is aggravating with each passing day in Jhang due to constant negligence of concerned agencies, making the lives of locals miserable.

Most of the city localities including Mohallah Jalilabad, Golshan Colony, Mohalla Marzi Pura, Jogwalia and Toba Road remain flooded with sewerage water. The residents complain everyday as the issue has been lingering on for the last three decades.

Jhang lacks all the basic facilities despite being amongst the oldest cities of Punjab.  Heaps of rubbish and flooded sewerage remain on the streets in all the localities which have become a permanent nuisance for its 0.7 million population.



A round of this city provides a view of its miserable condition which the authorities have failed to work on. In certain mohallas, there are deep ponds of stagnant water dangerous enough for children and old citizens.

There exists no concept of dust bins as the streets are filled with garbage. The dust on the road sides also plays havoc with the passer -by. Moreover, eatables being sold on carts alongside the roads remain under dust and flies affecting the health of general public. That is why such conditions of the city require immediate attention of the municipal committee.



Jhang Municipal Committee (JMC) has only two desalting and a sucking machine for the entire city. Ansar Abass, Ward No50 councilor, says, “My ward is one of the most populated and is spread over for more than 10 kilometers. It needs at least 4 sewer men to ensure the operation of sewer system as most of the areas in my ward remain flooded with sewerage water.”

JMC has refused to deploy the required sewer plan due to shortage of manpower, he says.

“In such circumstances, the residents of my wards are facing issues due to over-flow of the sewer water causing a number of diseases,” he expressed.



He states that he has launched complaints to the JMC chairman to take care of the insanitary conditions but no action has been taken so far which is aggravating the miseries of residents.

A sewer worker says, “There is neither a concept of maximum duty hours nor are we being provided with gadgets, masks and uniforms to clean the sewerage.” He says that the workers are forced to work for 12 hours at least. The load of the work is high and lack of manpower and machinery are the constraints we face to improve the sewerage system, he adds

Sanitary Inspector Abdul Rasheed says that he needs at least 200 sewer men to operate and maintain the sewerage system in a proper way. He says that his department needs special funds to acquire machinery and manpower to make the city clean as the number of residents are increasing day by day.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 15^th, 2017.