NDMA launches massive cleanliness campaign in rain-hit Karachi

KARACHI : Pakistan Army and Frontier Works Organization (FWO) teams reached to Gujjar Nullah here on Monday morning to assist the civilian authorities in clearance of the city’s mostly encroached sewerage drains. The Frontier Works Organization (FWO) personnel have reached Gujjar Nullah with over 50 dumpers, cranes and other machinery to remove garbage, which had choked free flow of the water in the drain in recent rainfall and submerged adjacent area. Paramilitary Rangers personnel have also been deployed at the site of the drain clearance work. The drive has been launched under the oversight of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). The garbage from the sewerage drain being immediately transferred to the landfill site. The drain clearance work has also been started at ‘Cafe Piala’ in Federal B’ Area of Karachi with heavy machinery and other equipment. Earlier, Chairman National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Lieutenant General Muhammad Afzal has said that long-term coordinated efforts are needed to resolve the issues of Karachi. Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, the NDMA Chairman said that he went to Karachi on the instructions of the Prime Minister and inspected the damage caused by the rains. On the issues of Karachi, I had three meetings with the Chief Minister and two meetings with the Governor of Sindh. Chairman NDMA said that rains are likely in Karachi from August 7 to 9. Massive work will begin tomorrow morning. However, for long term planning, everyone has to sit down. The local corps has been given the responsibility to provide immediate relief to the people. Lt. Gen. Muhammad Afzal said that the problems of Karachi need to be understood. Stakeholders will have to come together to find a lasting solution to the problem. We have to give relief to the people as a team. At the moment we are trying to reduce the damage in the coming rains. He said that encroachments on the canals of Karachi are very high. We have to move forward after seeing the legal and illegal encroachments. Drainage channels are reduced to 3 to 4 meters. There are things that can be done to reduce the damage. He said that 20,000 tons of solid waste is being collected daily in Karachi. Solid waste is a source of revenue all over the world but a nuisance to us. Earlier, PM Imran had tasked Pakistan Army and NDMA start the clean up drive in Karachi in the aftermath of the rain. In his message on Twitter, PM Imran said: “I have asked the NDMA Chairman to go to Karachi immediately and start the clean up in the aftermath of the rain.” “I have also asked the Pak army to also help in cleaning up the city,” he said in his post.