Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar said on Wednesday that work on a project for clearing nullas and river beds in Karachi would start in September.
In his tweet, the minister said that he reviewed the plan prepared by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to clean nullahs and river beds in Karachi.
He said the city drowned every time it rained heavily, so it had become essential to implement the plan on priority.
Asad Umar said after approval, work on the project would start in September, and its completion date would be one year.
“Largest tax-paying city of Pakistan deserves better than what it is facing today,” he added.
RAIN LASHES KARACHI ON THIRD CONSECUTIVE DAY
Heavy rain hit Karachi on the third consecutive day, Wednesday, inundating low-lying areas.
The heaviest-hit areas included Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Defence, Clifton, Korangi, II Chundrigar Road, Manzoor Colony, Hassan Square, Safari Park area, Nursery, etc. The rain system still hovers over Karachi, said Met office. Business and social life remained disrupted due to the rain. The electricity in many areas of the city was suspended soon after the rain.
The rainwater remained accumulated in areas of Surjani town, Dada Bhoy Colony, Yousuf Goth, Safoora Goth, Manzoor Colony, Lyari, and others. The work was going on on the banks of Malir River to stop rainwater overflow as it had already flooded some areas of Quaidabad.
The Met Office confirmed to a local news agency that the 90-year record of the monsoon downpour had been broken after 345mm downpour was recorded at Karachi’s PAF Faisal Base in August this year, making it the wettest month since 1931.
On the order of Army Chief, the army has started relief and rescue operations in rain-affected areas of Karachi. Sindh Chief Minister has imposed a rain emergency in Sindh and said that compensation would be paid against the losses.
PAKISTAN ARMY, RANGERS RELIEF TEAMS ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN RAIN AFFECTED AREAS
Pakistan Army and Pakistan Rangers Sindh dedicated 70 relief and rescue teams to assist the civil administration of Karachi in providing relief to the people in rain-induced flood-hit areas. The crisis teams gave prompt attention towards shifting several belongings endangered by the floods from Quaidabad and other closeby areas to safer places through Army Engineer boats.
According to an ISPR press release, heavy rains in Karachi, owing to its current sixth monsoon spell, have adversely affected many localities. It further said that the situation is getting aggravated as causeways, bypass, and main thoroughfares have been affected due to severe flooding in Malir riverbank owing to the overflow of Lath and Thado dams in the suburbs after a heavy downpour in Kirthar range.
To address the situation, Pak Army Engineers were said to have developed 200 meters long and four feet high barrier, a makeshift arrangement to avoid flooding of M9, ensuring proper regulation of water.
Moreover, three different teams of Pakistan Army Engineers were deployed along the Mehran drain to avert its spillover and ensure that the K-Electric grid station remains uninundated.
Equal attention in this context was also paid towards the protection of Saadi Town and Malir Cantonment, with relief and rescue teams actively engaged in shifting people to safer places and providing them with adequate shelter.
Immediate de-watering was ensured in flooded areas of Gulshan e Hadeed, DHA, Gizri, Keamari, North Karachi, Nazimabad, Saddar, Landhi, Airport area, University Road, Saadi Town, Quaidabad, Yousaf Goth, Gulistan e Jauhar and those around PAF – Faisal, PAF – Masroor.
Pakistan Army jawans also distributed cooked meals among the evacuated people belonging to worst-hit areas of the metropolis.
FOUR CANALS COMING OUT OF SUKKUR BARRAGE CLOSED:
Irrigation department of Sindh has closed four canals coming out of Sukkur barrage in the wake of the flood situation in the river Indus.
According to details, the flood is recorded in the Indus river endangering Kutcha and Urban areas after the recent spell of rains.
The irrigation department sources said that a lower level flood is being recorded at the Guddu barrage, which has a flow of water 2 lakh 37 thousand cusecs, while the same water current will flow from Sukkur barrage on Thursday (today).
The spokesman of Sukkur barrage Abdul Aziz Soomro said that the recent spell of rains created urban flooding, however, most areas of the river Indus and Kutcha areas will remain unaffected unless there were more rains in the mountain areas.
The spokesman said that heavy rains have already lashed in Dadu Canal or Mithi in Thar, and if canal water goes into the river Indus, it will create problems for the people. He added that it was the reason behind the complete closure of the four canals and the lowering of water in three canals.
SINDH CM VISITS RAIN-HIT AREAS IN KARACHI
Sindh Chief Minister (CM) Murad Ali Shah on Wednesday has visited different rain-hit areas in Karachi and directed to speed up the water drainage system.
During the visit, the CM has ordered the Karachi commissioner to help those stranded in their houses in Madina Town, Yar Muhammad Goth, Malir, and Sukkur Nullah due to rainwater and provide them with food and other things.
Won’t leave the people alone in this time of need, he pledged.
