Sindh local government secretary Roshan Ali Shaikh credited his department on Sunday for "working tirelessly over the past many months to clean nullahs" which, he claimed, prevented flooding following monsoon rains and ensured that no deaths occurred due to urban flooding.
He made these remarks during a video conference, even as multiple videos of flooded roads in Karachi did rounds on social media after rain battered the city on Friday.
It took comprehensive planning to ensure that no flooding took place in localities such as Korangi, Zaman Town, Saadi Town and multiple neighbourhoods in West District, which had been inundated and had to be evacuated in previous years, Shaikh said while addressing the meeting.
"We ensured timely cleaning of nullahs and so, prevented urban flooding and any lives being lost due to the calamity," he claimed. "This progress is an achievement."
Besides, he directed relevant officials to expedite the cleaning of 38 major nullahs in the city that had been under way for several days as well as expand the collection and disposal of waste collected from drains.
As a pre-emptive measure for dealing with more rain, he directed local government officials to remain alert and take special measures for draining water from low-lying areas, underpasses and choking points, as well as cleaning drains.
Later, in an interview, the secretary claimed that rainwater had been drained from most areas of Karachi, adding, however, that the process was facing delays in some localities due to "infrastructure-related complications."
He further established that working with an integrated approach, rain emergency units in all districts were in constant touch with the central monitoring unit set up in the local government department office and public complaints were being addressed swiftly.
Reiterating that orders had been issued for the uninterrupted transfer of garbage from nullahs to garbage transfer stations, the secretary warned of strict departmental action against any official found failing to comply with the directives.
He said that district municipal corporations had been instructed to identify spots for sacrificing animals on Eidul Azha and asserted that the religious practice should be performed in line with cleanliness and hygiene guidelines.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 20th, 2020.
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