Diseases break out in rain-hit localities

Residents protest lack of clean-up as dead animals litter streets and vacant plots

RAWALPINDI:

Various diseases have started emerging in low-lying areas of Rawalpindi and Islamabad after stagnant, sewage-contaminated rainwater receded following three days of heavy monsoon rains.

The affected residents have started temporarily relocating and staged protests against the administration.

After the floodwater receded from streets, neighbourhoods, houses and roads, large numbers of dead rats, cats and insects carried away by the water were found lying in streets, open fields and vacant plots, along with hazardous waste from houses, shops and hospitals.

Layers of dirty soil and sand brought by the floodwater have also accumulated in streets and houses.

For the past three days, rain has started between 2am and 3am and continued until around noon, while floodwater remained standing in dozens of low-lying areas, streets, neighbourhoods and roads from around 3am to 1pm before receding on its own after the rain stopped.

The dirty floodwater has brought mud, sand and waste from storm drains and left them in the streets.

The mud, along with garbage-filled shopping bags and other waste carried by the floodwater, remains scattered at various places.

No cleanliness operation has been carried out in the low-lying areas for the past three days, resulting in a foul smell and the spread of eye, stomach and throat-related illnesses.

With government agencies failing to arrive, residents have started cleaning streets outside their houses themselves and disposing of dead insects, cats and rats.

Residents of Dhoke Khabba, Sadiqabad, Arya Mohalla, Dhoke Ilahi Bakhsh, Qasimabad, Millat Colony, Fazalabad, Peoples Colony, Shalay Valley, Fauji Colony, Dhoke Hasu, Sharon Colony, Dhoke Syedan and Girja Road also staged protests against the district administration and rescue agencies.

Citizen Action Committee Chairman Malik Zaheer Awan said Chah Sultan, Amirpura and Millat Colony had remained submerged in floodwater for three days, but no one from WASA, the Municipal Corporation or rescue agencies arrived.

He said residents were cleaning the affected areas on their own.

He said layers of dirt, floodwater and filthy mud had accumulated in the areas, but no team from Suthra Punjab had arrived for cleaning.

He demanded immediate pesticide spraying in all affected areas.

He said as the water had receded, Suthra Punjab teams should be directed to clean streets and vacant plots, otherwise residents of the affected low-lying areas would stage protests outside the offices of the commissioner, deputy commissioner, WASA and Municipal Corporation.