No plans: City unprepared for this year’s rains

KMC cannot provide fuel for the heavy excavating machines needed to cleanup the nullahs.

KARACHI:

Despite the fact that the forecast predicts rain in the city in another two or three days, the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) has yet to make any arrangements for it.

Moreover, the cleanliness drive for nullahs has come to a halt since they don't the necessary funds to continue it.  "The drive was shut down 12 days ago and we haven't received any orders to make any arrangements for the expected rain," said the president of KMC's CBA union, Syed Zulfiqar Ali Shah.

Shah also told The Express Tribune that the administration announced on Monday that it will release the fuel money for the cleaning vehicles, which means that the drive could be back up and running today. He added that since the forecast has predicted that the forthcoming rain will be light rather than a heavy downpour, it would not pose much of a problem. The administration has, however, not mapped out a plan for the monsoon rains expected to begin from July 15.

Karachi administrator Rauf Akhtar Farooqui directed them to expedite the drainage of all the nullahs and remove the encroachments and garbage alongside its banks.

Special attention should be given to such places where complaints of stagnant water have been received in the past, urged Farooqui. "There should be no stagnant water on roads and the drainage system must be perfected," he said.

Commissioner Shoaib Ahmed Siddiqui said that his office has directed all the civic bodies including Karachi Metropolitan Corporation, Cantonment Board Clifton,Defence Housing Authority, Civil Aviation Authority, Irrigation department, Karachi Port Trust, all district management councils and the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board to extend their cooperation during the cleanliness drive. "We will not tolerate any inefficiency that may lead people to face difficulties during the rain," he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 13^th, 2014.