Pakistan: Failure to clean clogged drains raises public concerns during monsoon
The public in Sindh's Hyderabad remains concerned over the main drains running through the heavily populated areas being clogged with garbage, and the broken or missing protective walls along the drains are unrepaired, leading Pakistani daily, The Express Tribune, reported.
The Meteorological Department had formally alerted the Sindh government about the approaching rain system, prompting high-level meetings with instructing commissioners, deputy commissioners, and local municipal agencies to make arrangements for the potential urban flooding.
Additionally, the Sindh Local Government Department on July 10 issued a directive instructing municipal bodies, including the Hyderabad Municipal Corporation and various town municipal corporations, to implement preventive measures. Though more than 48 hours have passed since the directive was issued, no department has initiated ground-level preparations.
Reports suggest that the major drains in the city, including the long stretch connecting the Liaquat Colony and Sattar Shah Graveyard to Memon Hospital Chowk and Tando Yusuf, which serve as the primary outlet for sewage from many congested neighbourhoods, are heavily clogged with waste.
In some areas, garbage has been accumulated over the drains, and children walk over it unknowingly of the danger beneath.
In some places, the water level in the drain rises, matching the road surface, which has previously resulted in incidents of vehicles and children falling in.
In May, a seven-year-old boy, Raheel Afzal, drowned after falling into an open drain.
Last month, similarly, two girls, 10-year-old Rabeel and 8-year-old Parisha, lost their lives as they fell into an uncovered drain in the Jani Shah Mohalla area.
Critics argue that despite the recurring tragedies, neither the Hyderabad administration, nor the municipal corporation, nor the respective TMAs (Town Municipal Administrations) have taken any steps to repair the broken protective walls along these dangerous drains.
Despite receiving Rs 1.2 million monthly in government grants, the concerned Union Committees turned a blind eye to the situation. The amount received remained unutilised for urgent community needs like drain maintenance after covering the salaries and utility bills.
Ironically, every year, the Sindh government and local bodies convene emergency meetings and unveil rain preparedness plans, allocating millions of rupees in the budget for the purpose.
However, in reality, not a single drain has been cleaned thoroughly, and fake bills are filed in the name of drain cleaning each year, resulting in embezzlement of public funds.
Additionally, no institution or bureaucrat has ever been held responsible for the repeated negligence, media reports suggest.
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