RMC, RCB fail to evacuate Rawalpindi’s old, decrepit buildings

Corporation and cantonment board issue fresh notices to residents to evacuate these buildings

RAWALPINDI: As monsoon rains lashed Rawalpindi intermittently over the past week, the chief civic agency of the city failed to take action against families living in years old, dilapidated buildings in the older areas of the city. Hence, residents of these buildings are in real danger.

Meanwhile, the city authorities announced on Sunday that they have finally managed to clean Nullah Leh which greatly reduces the chances of flooding in the city during heavy rain spells.

Last month, pre-monsoon rains washed over Rawalpindi, the city’s municipal corporation (RMC) and the cantonment board (RCB) had issued notices to residents of some 250 buildings located in Raja Bazaar, Kaalan Bazaar, Moti Bazaar, Bhabra Bazaar, Bagh Sardaran, Dingi Khoi, Ratta Amral, Purana Qila, Murree Road and in cantonment areas to vacate these buildings which had been deemed dangerous.

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These buildings are mostly inhabited by middle and lower-middle-income families owing to lower rents for the rundown buildings while others have had the buildings in their family for generations and are reluctant to leave.

However, rains pose a serious threat to the structural integrity of these buildings and are a danger for those who live in them and those who are around them. Most buildings also sport large cracks in their walls and their façade is crumbling. Many buildings have started to lean, some even dangerously so.

To make matters worse, the streets in these areas are quite narrow, only three to four feet wide in some places, which will make any rescue operation in case of an accident extremely difficult.

But with residents yet to vacate these buildings, the RMC and the RCB have issued another notice to evacuate these structures.

The notice reads that occupants will be responsible in case of a mishap as the administration had fulfilled its responsibility by issuing multiple notices in this regard.

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RMC and RCB have claimed that they have fulfilled their responsibility by issuing notices though they did not take any constructive step to evacuate residents.

Nullah Leh dredging complete

With the monsoon season starting, the city’s sewerage authorities have finally managed to complete de-silting and dredging of Nullah Leh.

The Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) stated on Sunday that it had cleared various spots including Gawalmandi, Ganjmandi, Dhok Ratta, Pirwudhai, Dhok Najju, Dhok Dalal and New Katariyan.

Further, the depth of Nullah Leh has also been increased by dredging it and removing sand and debris from its bed to ensure smooth flow of water.

The WASA experts say that after this measure, it is expected that water level in Nullah Leh will not exceed beyond dangerous levels.

Further, the RMC has cleaned 14 tributaries of Nullah Leh within the city as well to ease the flow of water.

Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) Chairman Arif Abbasi said that the silt cleaning target was met before the deadline of July 30. He asserted that they do not expect any flooding in the city this monsoon season, however, they had enhanced their monitoring to stop littering in Nullah Leh.

He added that citizens have been urged not to dump building material or other garbage in Nullah Leh so that depth would remain constant and water flowed without any interruption.

Cattle farms irk residents

Even as the civic administration works to clear Nullah Leh, residents claim that it has turned a blind eye to a large number of cattle farms which dot the banks of Nullah Leh and are a major source of pollution for the massive storm drain.

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Moreover, they claimed that these farms not only destroy the beauty of the city but are also a serious threat to public health as they are a source of several contagious diseases.

They further claimed that the RMC and the RCB appear to work in collusion with the farm owners despite opposition from the public.

Meanwhile, the authorities say they can only to issue notices to such farms to wind up their setups.

Farm owners, however, say that they are ready to move out if the city government provides them alternate space with all requisite facilities.

They suggested that the government should establish a proper “Gawala Colony” (Milkmen Colony) or Cattle Colony on the city’s outskirts as it would not affect the industry.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, July 22^rd, 2019.