KARACHI - After two days of rainfall that wreaked havoc in the city, Karachi is once again bracing for heavy monsoon rains from Friday amid preparatory meetings from provincial government to deal with it and ongoing cleanliness campaign in the city by PTI.
According to a Met Department notification, a well marked low-pressure monsoon system has formed over the northern part of Bay of Bengal and it would likely enter the lower parts of Pakistan late on August 9 and remain till August 11.
The system will cause widespread rains and thunderstorms in Karachi, Hyderabad, Mirpurkhas and Thatta. The met officials had also warned of urban flooding from the expected rainfall.
Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah also presided over a preparatory meeting for expected downpour in the coastal parts of the province here on Wednesday at CM House.
The meeting was attended by Minister Local Government Syed Nasir Shah, Adviser to CM Murtaza Wahab, acting Chief Secretary Mohammad Waseem, Chairperson P&D Nahid Shah, Principal Secretary to CM Sajid Jamal Abro, Commissioner Karachi Iftikhar Shahalwani, Secretary Local Government Khalid Hyder Shah, Secretary Transport Abbas Detho and other concerned officers.
Rs120.3b spent on Karachi in last six years
The CM said that the overall trends of development spending in last six years, 2013-14 to 2018-19 revealed that total expenditures incurred were Rs495.04 billion, out of which Rs120.30 billion were incurred for development projects of Karachi.
He also disclosed the total spending on development works in the city during last six years he had worked out. Shah said that water and sanitation projects hold central importance for his government in terms of prioritised investment areas of the city.
He added that during the last six years Rs69.27 billion was directed towards the water and sanitation sector of the city. “Expenditures of Rs24.65 billion have been incurred to complete 77 water and sanitation schemes in the city,” he said.
Talking about priority sectors for development of city, he initiated 40 mega projects of construction and improvement of road network and flyovers/bridges/underpasses, up-gradation of filter plants, pumping stations and construction of storm water Darin’s. He added 20 mega schemes having a cost of Rs15.33 billion have been completed till date and 20 schemes costing Rs12.474 billion are included in ADP 2019-20,” he said. He said that the cumulative ADP allocation for education sector from 2013-14 to 2018-19 was Rs19.16 billion. During the said period Rs10.27 billion expenditures have been incurred to complete 75 schemes pertaining to the education sector in Karachi.
He also disclosed that he has allocated Rs62.034 billion in 2019-20 for portfolio of 449 development schemes of Karachi having a total cost of Rs239.158 billion.
The chief minister directed Local Government Minister Syed Nasir Shah to alert local bodies staff in the forthcoming rainfall as predicted by the Met office. “Mostly the coastal belt of Karachi, Thatta, Badin and some parts of Hyderabad would be affected, therefore KMC, DMCs, water board, deputy commissioners concerned, HDA, HMC, WASA must be activated,” he said.
He directed the local government department to activate local bodies in Thatta and Badin where Disaster Management Authority would also help them in case of heavy downpour. He directed both the commissioners, Karachi and Hyderabad to activate concerned deputy commissioners to help people and support the disposal of rain water. “I want you to focus on low lying areas where rainwater accumulates when heavy rains are received,” he said and added suction machines must be installed there and drainage system also be made clear for flow of water.
Shah observed that during the last week rains the local bodies officials, water board and deputy commissioners and their supporting staff remained busy in cleaning the city and supporting the people. “This time I want a similar spirit and vigour for helping people,” he said. Shah directed LG Minister Syed Nasir Shah to prepare a contingency plan for disposal of rainwater, opening of manholes, opening of choking points of storm water drains and necessary arrangements must be made for diesel generators for suction machines,” he said.
The Local Government Minister said that an emergency cell has been set up in local bodies and in his department which would monitor the situation. “I would be visiting the cities which would receive heavy rains,” he said. After the meeting the chief minister left for Hyderabad to visit disposal of rain water of the last heavy downpour. He was accompanied by Provincial ministers, Nasir Shah, Shabir Bijarani, Sharjeel Memon and Qasim Naveed.
Soon after the meeting from the chief minister, the local government minister Nasir Hussain Shah also presided a meeting at the Commisoner Karachi office to review arrangmnets for rain pre4partions.
The meeting was also attended by Mayor Karachi Waseem Akhter and others.
Moreover, the initiative from federal minister Ali Zaidi to clear city from garbage is also in ful swing with authorities clearing major nullahs in the city from filth in order to ensure smooth flow of water during rains.
Lawmakers and members of the local bodies along with Karachi Port Trust, Frontier Works Organisation and other non-governmental organizations were also part of the initiative.
Under the initiative, the authorities in first phase were clearing major nullahs of the city from filth including Gujjar Nala, Korangi Nala, Orangi Nala, Mehmoodabad Nala and City Railway Station Nala also including six minor ones that are Petrol Pump Nala, Mujahid Colony Nala, Nehr-e-Khayyam Nala, Azam Basti Nala, Malir City Nala and Peerabad Nala.
Meanwhile, authorities also prepared plans to avoid flooding at Northern bypass and adjoining areas as it happened during last rainfalls.
To cope up with the issue in a meeting chaired by commissioner Karachi, it was decided to construct a rain drain on an emergency basis for the drainage of water from Lath Dam and M9 Motorway. Karachi Commissioner Iftikhar Shallwani directed the authorities to complete the construction work before the rainfall. The session was also briefed about the current status of low-lying areas which are most likely to be affected by floodwater coming for the Kirthar range. Shallwani directed the authorities to demolish illegal constructions obstructing the natural flow of water.
KE ISSUES WARNING BEFORE RAINS
In the wake of over 20 deaths from electrocution in city during past rains, the K-Electric cautioned to maintain a distance of at least 3 meters from power infrastructure including poles, transformers, downed power lines, low-hanging power lines, trees that have fallen on power lines and tilted. It further said that children should not be left unattended and warned from playing near electricity installations.
While KE takes precautionary measures including preventive maintenance, network-wide inspections of the power infrastructure, strengthened vigilance of on-ground teams as well as suspension of electricity supply to areas which are prone to such incidents; joint effort from all concerned stakeholders is critical to enforce necessary urban development standards across the whole city to strengthen Karachi’s resilience and eliminate the issue of illegal encroachments and kundas.
KE would also like to apprise that during rain power interruptions are often caused by factors beyond control including wind, lightning, accidents, breakage etc. In some areas power is suspended as a precautionary measure because kunda-infested areas and spots with waterlogging are prone to electrical contact incidents.
As per the criticality and sensitivity, the power utility follows an order of priority in each area for restoration, starting from repair of damaged high-voltage lines, feeders or substations, if any. In areas with waterlogging, power restoration efforts can only be initiated following the removal of standing water.