Ban on plastic bags sought after flooding

Clogging held responsible for urban flooding

RAWALPINDI:

Authorities have sought to ban the use of plastic bags to help tackle urban flooding in the garrison city after the recent rains led to urban flooding in Rawalpindi, causing damage to life and property.

A senior official in the Rawalpindi district administration told The Express Tribune that during a recent survey of drains, it was identified that plastic clogging was the main factor behind the recent flooding in the garrison city.

He said that owing to the irresponsible behaviour of citizens, drains are filled with polythene bags. He said that plastic bags were one of the main reasons for the choking of drains, leading to urban flooding in Rawalpindi.

The official said that after a thorough survey of drains and the whole drainage system, a proposal seeking a complete ban on the production and the use of polythene bags has been sent to the Punjab government.

He said that the Rawalpindi district administration has also sought the help of experts to find out the real cause of the floods in the city and Cantonment areas which led to a loss of life and property.

He said that a detailed report of the city’s drainage system comprising small and big drains and linking drains has been prepared and experts have declared the drainage system in the city and Cantonment areas operative and effective.

He said that residential and commercial areas are well served by these drains from where rainwater and sewage can easily fall into Nullah Leh, River Swan and other water streams. He said that in the report, experts have declared the depth of all the drains and their openness satisfactory.

The report has revealed that the main cause of rainwater blockage was because of the rampant presence of polythene bags in drains. The report stated that polythene bags have paralysed small and large drains and the sewerage system. It said that even after 30 to 50 millimetres of rain, city and Cantonment areas have to face flooding.

The official said that the district administration had also sought feedback from Rawalpindi and Chaklala Cantonment Boards, the Rawalpindi Waste Management Authority, the Rawalpindi Municipal Corporation and other relevant departments about flooding and all institutions have sought to stop the use of polythene bags.

The official said that in the light of the report, proposals have also been sent to the Punjab government that all drains should be cleaned from the scratch and that the use of polythene bags should be stopped and the already existing plastic bags should be removed and destroyed.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 23^rd, 2022.