Dirty surroundings

It is a truism to say a clean house is a safe house. However, given the human tendency to be careless of one’s own well-being, health experts keep on drawing our attention to the importance of keeping ourselves and our surroundings clean. In the wake of the recent heavy rains in various parts of Sindh, including Karachi, experts have urged the authorities to remove garbage and stagnant rainwater at the earliest possible because these may cause an outbreak of typhoid, malaria, dengue and many other water-borne diseases.

It goes without saying that stagnant rain water mixed with the water overflowing from choked gutters can cause spread of dangerous diseases. Mosquitoes would multiply fast in the dirty water because the monsoon is the best season for their reproduction. Hoards and heaps of garbage piled up on the roadsides, in streets and internal lanes might spread germs that could travel far and wide through the air exposing more and more people to various kinds of illnesses. Careless disposal of medical waste and such waste overflowing from sewers could lead to spread of the coronavirus. Experts fear a surge in throat infections and nasal allergies in this weather especially in the conditions prevailing in the province.

Much to the chagrin of the common people, the administrative machinery remains as sluggish as ever. The rains stopped a few days ago but the piles of garbage continue to get both thick and high and small pools of stagnant rain and gutter water continue to turn into big ponds. Politicians seem to be telling one another how much we are going to get done today, oblivious of the miseries of the people. They know for the electorate, corruption and incompetence are non-issues. Our numbness to real issues has grown so much that most electronic media is now presenting the return of Nawaz Sharif as the most significant national issue. Will he, won’t he? is the raging debate.