WASA issues monsoon contingency plan

Outlines measures to handle urban floods in low-lying areas

RAWALPINDI:

The Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) has unveiled its ‘Monsoon Operational Plan’ to tackle potential flooding in the low-lying areas adjacent to Nullah Leh and other major drains during the ongoing monsoon season.

As per the plan, assistance will be sought from the armed forces and other institutions in case of high rainfall. The plan also includes relief efforts to rescue affected individuals and drain water from vulnerable areas.

To ensure prompt support for the public during unexpected rains, Wasa has established four complaint centres and a flood control room, said officials. These facilities will address grievances raised by the public and swiftly respond to their needs, they added.

Preparations for the monsoon season include the desilting of Nullah Leh and setting off alarm bells if the water level rises too high. Evacuation procedures will be implemented, taking into consideration the water levels in Nullah Leh and the potential for water intrusion.

Officials added that Wasa had inspected and deemed fully operational five harvesting machinery, six scrubber machines, six tractors, and 28 de-watering sets, all of which will play a crucial role in executing the plan.

Additionally, a duty roster has been established to handle complaints from affected residents. Complaint centres will be set up at Moti Mahal, the Commercial Market, Sir Syed Street, and Sardar Bagh, in addition to the flood control room at the Wasa office.

To ensure the safety of residents, houses in areas prone to flooding have been marked, and if Nullah Leh swells, evacuation measures will be taken.

Wasa Managing Director Muhammad Tanveer Ahmed said that the agency’s staff would respond swiftly in the event of flooding in Nullah Leh or water entering low-lying regions during the monsoon season. The relief efforts will be supported by other institutions as well. The control room and complaint centres will address residents' concerns and provide necessary assistance. Machinery will be utilised to drain water from the affected low-lying areas, he added.

Monitoring towers will oversee the water levels in various locations near Nullah Leh, while also considering the forecast of unusual rains provided by the meteorological department.

On the other hand, Punjab Health Minister Dr Jamal Nasir and Rawalpindi Deputy Commissioner Hasan Waqar Cheema have tasked Wasa and other agencies with completing emergency measures to address urban flooding during the monsoon season.

Leaves cancelled

The provincial caretaker minister for primary and secondary healthcare, Punjab Dr Jamal Nasir on Thursday said that as many as 1,500 new employees had been recruited in the district health authority department while holidays of the Rawalpindi Waste Management Company (RWMC), Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) and health authority staff had been cancelled to handle the looming threat of dengue spread.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 7^th, 2023.