by Raja Faisal
ISLAMABAD: Islamabad might face partial flooding as more rains are expected in the capital city. The core reason behind it is the recklessness of CDA.
Islamabad is considered very safe when it comes to harsh monsoon weather. The rain-drains that pass through several sectors of the capital end up in “Nala-Layi”. These rain-drains not only sewer Islamabad but the rainy water of Margallah Mountains passes through them as well.
The rain-drains of Islamabad do get blockages through natural as well as artificial causes. Every year, the rain waters naturally bring objects like tree-branches, mud and wild-bushes in the rain-drains. Moreover, the citizens do play a vital role in the blockages. Majority of the households dump their daily garbage in these rain-drains. This not only narrows the drains but create a buildup in the surface too.
Only the regular cleaning of the rain-drains at the right time can resolve the issue. Moreover the citizens are to be made aware of the importance of the clean rain-drains and should be cautioned against garbage dumping.
“All drains in the city are being and have been cleaned”, said CDA Spokesman Mazhar Hussain while speaking to Pakistan Today, when questioned about the annual cleaning of the rain-drains.
His use of the word ‘being’ is further questionable as the process of cleaning should have been started well before the monsoon. The ideal time should have been May, in order to have clear rain-drains for the swiftly-approaching monsoon.
According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department, Islamabad will face more rains in the ongoing monsoon than last year. Islamabad has already seen record breaking rains last week which resulted in temporary closure of roads caused by water overflows on several location of Islamabad that is evidence of the problem itself.
