Administrator Karachi Laeeq Ahmed on Wednesday said that they had made better preparations this year in monsoon season.
An emergency plan has been drawn up with dewatering pumps and staffers on standby to cope with any untoward situation,he said in an interview with voice of America,according to a press release.
He said with the onset of rains in Karachi all the relevant departments and their staffers would be active and they would be seen on the streets,adding there were many issues in Karachi in this regard.
“This is just a beginning and at the moment all the focus is on cleaning the drains,improving the infrastructure and preparing for the monsoon season,”he added.
He said that due to encroachments in the rainwater drains, the drains stop taking water due to which the water filled up the roads and the situation deteriorates.
Therefore, an engineering solution should be worked out to solve this problem permanently.
Ahmed said that KMC has 44 drains and DMCs has 514 drains whose de-slitting process must continue.
The current operation has been going on for one month and it would continue for three months during which all the choking points of would be fixed.
DMCs, cantonment boards and other local bodies were preparing at their respective levels, he said.
He said, “Karachi is a big city and construction is going on here all the year round which has a lot of impact on the infrastructure and sewerage system of Karachi and due to which the problems increase.”
The Administrator said that the machinery available to the civic bodies for drainage work has completed its term.
He said that he had written a letter to the Commissioner Karachi requesting him to enforce Section 144 on coastal places due to flooding in the sea and immediately ban the bathing of citizens in the sea.
“It is very sad that precious lives are lost due to electrocution and other accidents during the rainy season,” he said.
“I would urge the citizens to stay away from power poles and electrical appliances in heavy rains and to exercise extreme caution while driving,” he added.
The Engineering department has been directed to cover all the manholes in the city with open gutter covers to ensure the safety of the citizens.
Ahmed said that this year 11 necessary steps have been taken to maintain the flow of traffic in 11 underpasses of Karachi and de-watering pumps were installed there which would start drainage work as soon as the rains would begin.
