Preemptive measure: Rs15m released for Nullah Leh dredging, desilting

Remaining Rs15m to be released in few days, say sources

RAWALPINDI:

The Punjab government has released Rs15 million to Rawalpindi Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) for dredging and desilting of Nullah Leh to avoid flood risks.

The provincial government had announced last year that it would set aside Rs30 million for dredging and desilting operations. This is the first installment of the promised amount. The second installment will be provided within the next few days, sources said.

In the past two years, Wasa has completed clean-up work on the Leh from Katarian Bridge to Pirwadhai Bridge, City Saddar to Pirwadhai, Moti Mahal to City Saddar, and Ammar Chowk to Moti Mahal at a total cost of Rs62 million.

The agency cleared 16 points in the garrison city, which included Katarian Bridge on IJP Road, Pirwadhai, Ganjmandi and Phagwari (Dhoke Dalol Bridge) up to Ammar Chowk in Rawalpindi during the last year at a cost of Rs22 million.

The government set aside Rs15 million for the cleanup project in the last financial year for the project, but the agency had to spend an additional Rs7 million due to cost overruns.

In the current phase, work will be completed in the areas of Phagwari Bridge and Dhok Naju.

Wasa spokesperson Muhammad Umar Farooq told The Express Tribune that the agency had already started work on the project. He said that Wasa workers had started work from Dhok Naju because the area was most vulnerable to flooding.

Farooq said that the project to widen the Leh was initiated in 2011 and the government announced it would set aside Rs92 million for the purpose. The amount was provided to Wasa in annual installments. In the first phase, Rs47 million was released, while the government allocated Rs15 million last year for the cleanup operation, he said.

Farooq said that the channel was very narrow near Ammar Chowk, which was problematic. The agency has to widen that patch, he added, saying that they were now working to widen and maintaining the depth near Dhok Naju.

“This will speed the flow of water and silt will not accumulate there,” he said.

However, Farooq said that dredging and desilting was not a permanent solution and what was required was proper lining of the bed and edges of the stream.

He said that garbage and building materials dumped by residents into the stream were the main cause of floods in low-lying areas.

Farooq suggested that roads should be constructed on both sides of the drain to help stop people from dumping waste there. “The cost on dredging and silting would be much lower if the public would cooperate,” Farooq said. “There are slums near Dhok Naju and people habitually throw garbage and other material in the stream,” he said.

While talking to The Express Tribune, Wasa Managing Director (MD) Raja Shoukat Mehmood said the project would be completed before the monsoon in order to avert the threat of floods.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 21^st, 2015.