Inquiries into E-11 rain thrashing complete

Medical, dental society inserted pipes into nullah despite CDA's instructions

ISLAMABAD:

The Islamabad administration and Capital Development Authority (CDA) have completed their separate inquiries over the devastation in Sector E-11 caused by torrential rains, a spokesperson said on Thursday. The summary of three inquiries has been forwarded to the federal cabinet as well, he added.

It was revealed that Pakistan Medical and Dental Council Cooperative Housing (PMDCCH) Society inserted pipes in the nullah despite clear instructions from CDA. Owing to this, the drainage process was obstructed.

Well-placed sources told The Express Tribune that five private housing societies, Police Foundation, Services Cooperative, Federation of Employees Cooperative, Pakistan Medical Cooperative and Multi-Professional Cooperative Housing Society started construction in Sector E-11 in 2001 and the phase was completed in 2007.

The nullah that choked and overflew owing to which a mother and her daughter died in the basement after filling of rainwater was in PMDCCH.

It is a low-lying area and the natural watercourse passes through it.

The housing society sought construction permission from CDA based on one hydrology study report. However, the civic authority had strictly prohibited closure of the natural watercourse and to keep it at least 14 feet wide for drainage of water in case of rains.

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A district official, requesting anonymity, told The Express Tribune that the housing society inserted pipes in the nullah which stymied water flow. Regarding the hydrology study, the official said that the study focuses on records of the previous 16 years of the natural water streams and the related water body had not overflowed for the past 110 years. However, the record was broken this year.

It has also been learnt in the inquiry that the related area never experienced up to 110 millimetres (mm) rain during the same span and the recent showers broke this record too. Apart from that, it was noted that the rains continued for two hours.

In response to a question, he said that the hydrology study was carried out by a famous consultant firm.

A senior official of Islamabad police shared information regarding the response time of Rescue 15. He added that it was a secret inquiry that revealed that the police faced difficulties in reaching the sector owing to torrential rains.

Regarding the inquiry by CDA, a high-level official told The Express Tribune that the private housing society was never issued a non-objection certificate (NOC).

The widest portion of the nullah passes through the society and is situated in a low-lying zone compared to the other four societies in the sector.

The society was given three months in 2012 to submit the engineering design and layout plan of the project for final approval which was rejected.

The summary of the then-member CDA planning, design and zoning deputy director is also part of the record. The official added that para 17 of the summary stated the society management should submit the revised plan to CDA.

Upon being contacted, another CDA official mentioned that the housing society inserted pipes in the nullah without permission which has been included in the report. He added that a final action would be given by the federal cabinet.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 6^th, 2021.