The residents of Sector E-11 on Thursday affected by the heavy downpour have demanded that the government declare their area disaster-hit and pay them compensation for damages.
They also demanded the government through an inquiry find the culprits responsible for the incompetent urban planning and punish them to prevent such mishaps in the future. The E-11 residents also called for the removal of encroachments on the storm drain and its widening.
Meanwhile, the rescue operation in the sector is in its final stages. All basements that were filled with water have been drained while expansion of the storm drain passing through the area has also started.
The Islamabad administration, Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad (MCI) and Rescue 1122 teams took part in the operation along with the private housing society’s management. Talking to The Express Tribune, Islamabad Assistant Commissioner (AC) Dr Sania said the rescue and relief operation was in the final phase. She said water has been drained from over 90 per cent of houses and businesses while some residential buildings are yet to be cleared.
Read Cloudburst triggers deluge in ICT
She further maintained that rescue teams had recovered four submerged vehicles while the administration was still assessing the damages.
The residents of Sector E-11 blamed the reduction in the width of the drain and silting for the urban flooding, adding that the width of the storm drain was reduced to 20 feet from its original 200 feet.
Moreover, Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar presided over a meeting on all legal and illegal encroachments on storm drains in Sector E-11 and other issues of housing societies here on Thursday.
Deputy Commissioner (DC) Hamza Shafqaat apprised the meeting that most of the residential societies in Sector E-11 have constructed illegal encroachments on stormwater drains which are causing obstructions in the flow of rainwater.
The minister directed the DC to identify the legal and illegal constructions on all storm drains of Sector E-11 and prepare a formal plan by next week to demolish the encroachments as per the regular schedule as soon as possible. He said that unless the encroachments on the storm drains were demolished, floods would occur in the rainy season every year and the lives of the residents of the area would be in danger.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 30th, 2021.
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