WASA claims to have completed retaining wall

Authority’s MD says dredging of Nullah Leh to be completed by June 30

RAWALPINDI: With Rawalpindi already receiving some pre-monsoon showers, the water supply authority in the city has claimed to have completed work on a retaining wall being built along the massive drain, Nullah Leh, near the Pirwadhai graveyard.

Rawalpindi Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) Managing Director (MD) Raja Shoukat Mehmood on Thursday said that that the authority completed a 1,200 feet long and 28 feet high retaining wall along the drain from Pirwadhai Bridge to Dhoke Dala. The wall will protect low lying areas of the city from flooding when the drain overflows during heavy monsoon rains.

Mehmood said that in the past, monsoon rains used to cause land sliding which damaged the oldest graveyard of the city and adjoining residential areas.



Following requests from residents of the area, the Wasa chief said, the Punjab government had approved the wall project.

The authority added that a project to clean the drain is expected to be completed by the end of this month, noting that Nullah Leh and its tributaries comprise the major drainage system of the area through which the storm waters of Islamabad and Rawalpindi are discharged off.

Mehmood said that they have devised a plan for preventing the Nullah Leh from flooding. The plan includes annual dredging and de-silting of Nullah Leh, inspection of machinery and equipment apart from the constitution of monsoon response teams.

As part of the plan, he said they were currently dredging Nullah Leh to ensure the smooth flow of rainwater during the monsoon season.

Mehmood added that not only were they clearing the drain of silt, solid waste deposits and other blockages, it was also being widened and deepened.

The Wasa chief said that the two projects, of building the wall and cleaning the drain, are costing the authority a whopping Rs160 million.

Talking to APP he urged citizens of the city, living in low-lying areas near the drain, to not dump solid waste into the nullahs to avoid blockages.

Calling on citizens to contribute towards the cleanliness of the Nullah, he said that solid waste should only be deposited at the specified points. He added that the public's role was key in protecting against devastating floods.

The Wasa MD said that they had also focused on the Gawalmandi area since it is heavily populated and one of the areas where significant amounts of garbage are dumped into in the nullah.

He added that the City Saddar Road to Gawalmandi, Pirwadhi Bridge to Ratta, Katrian Bridge to Phakwari and Pirwadhai Bridge are also critical sections of Nullah Leh which have been cleaned using excavators, heavy loaders and dumpers.



Earlier, he said that all sewerage lines falling within the limits of WASA were cleared before Eidul Fitr.

According to a WASA spokesman, the MD has also briefed representatives of Federal Flood Commission, 111 Brigade and Rescue-1122 about steps taken to prevent flood in Nullah Leh during the monsoon season.

He further said that four flood response units have been set up at different points and a water supply response unit for Liaquat Bagh has been set up where staff would be on duty around the clock during the monsoon season.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 29^th, 2018.