KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has said that his government was planning to construct a small dam or a stormwater drain right from the upper side of Northern bye-pass to give way to the rainwater falling from Khirthar Mountains range.
A similar storm drain was also required in Hyderabad to save them from flash floods. Murad was talking to newly appointed British Deputy High Commissioner Mike Nithavrianakis who called on him at CM House on Thursday.
The Chief Minister and the visiting envoy discussed bilateral relations, trade and commerce, energy and also exchanged views on the heavy downpour received in Karachi and Hyderabad.
Murad observed that the natural waterways in both the cities, Karachi and Hyderabad have been encroached, therefore rainwater could not be disposed of through stormwater drains.
“After blocking natural drains we have started de-watering the city with diesel pumps and with other machinery,” he said, adding that his government was planning to construct two stormwater drains right from mountainous range.
“One would cover the upper side of the motorway covering Northern Byepass area, New Sabzi Mandi, the back side of Al-Asif Square would terminate in the Lyari Nadi while the other drain would cover lower side of motorway covering the areas of Dumba Goth, Safoora, Malir Cantt and all the nearby areas and would terminate at Nathan Khan stormwater drain,” he said.
“I would conduct a study and consult the relevant experts to explore the alignment of the proposed drain with natural gravity so that rainwater of upper and lower motorway areas could be disposed of smoothly,” he said.
“A small dam may be constructed in the lap of mountainous range somewhere at Gadap village area or Mahar Jabal.”
Murad Shah also said that he visited Hyderabad and found all the natural waterways were also under encroachment there.
“I am planning construction of a new drain which can cater the entire city with vast catchment through culverts, connecting drain,” he said and added a study would be conducted shortly, otherwise in near future these both cities, Karachi and Hyderabad would have a great threat of flash floods.
In the meeting, the Chief Minister told the visiting envoy that the Thar Coal power plant has started producing 660megawatt electricity on a commercial basis. “This commercial production started on July 17 and now we are working for expansion of coal mine in Block-II and power generation,” he said.
He also added that a British company, Oracle, was also working in Block-I and they would also install a power plant.
He invited the British envoy to visit Thar desert which, he said, has turned lush green after receiving rains and also suggested him to visit Sukkur Barrage constructed in the British Raj some 100 years ago and also visit Mohenjo-daro – a 5000-year-old civilization.
The chief minister presented Mike with a memento, a traditional Sindhi ajrak, and cap.