Vohra shares measures to deal with rain emergency

Deputy mayor criticises Sindh government for not cleaning drains ahead of monsoon

KARACHI: Staff of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) and all the district municipal corporations (DMCs) is on high alert to deal with any emergency situation that may arise after the rain.

Deputy Mayor Arshad Vohra said this while briefing the media on rain arrangements during a press conference on Wednesday at the KMC Sports Complex. He was accompanied by all the chairpersons and other officials of the six DMCs of the city.

Vohra criticised the Sindh government for not cleaning the city's drains. Had the drains been cleaned by the Sindh government, it would have been easier for us to deal with any situation after the rains, he said, adding that the government did not pay any heed to multiple letters written by the local representatives requesting it to clean the drains that were filled with solid waste.



The deputy mayor bemoaned the fact that work had been started on the Gujjar Nullah and Mehmoodabad drain last year but it was not completed. As the two nullahs have not been cleaned, they cannot be effective in draining the rainwater, he said. He further lamented that solid waste and garbage are being dumped in those nullahs and no action is being taken to curb such activities.

Sharing concerns regarding the presence of dilapidated buildings in the city, Vohra said the civic authorities have informed the Sindh Building Control Authority about such derelict buildings but no action has been taken.

"We are alert, all the necessary machinery is on standby and the fire brigade has also been taken onboard. We will try all that we can in our limited resources to deal with the emergency situation so that people will enjoy rain instead of experiencing it as a disaster," Vohra avowed.



The deputy mayor stressed the need for taking measures for the protection of 800 katchi abadies in the city that are susceptible to severe misery during heavy rain.

The Karachi Water and Sewerage Board is not onboard with the KMC regarding rain measures, he lamented. Many manholes are uncovered, which may cause accidents for motorcyclists during the rain, he warned. He advised Karachi residents not to leave their houses unnecessarily during the rain.

Vohra added that an emergency has been imposed in all the hospitals running under the KMC and all leaves of hospital staff had been cancelled.



The deputy mayor also shared emergency numbers for lodging complaints, which are 99244559 and 99230951. Representatives will be available at these numbers 24 hours a day, he promised.