Heaps of garbage and sewage gushing out of drains at the Pirwadhai bus stand is posing health hazards to the public while the authorities concerned have turned a blind eye to the situation. As the gutters are choked, puddles of sewage have been created on IJP Road causing problems to the motorists, commuters and pedestrians. Besides, repulsive smell coming out of sewage and garbage is a public nuisance round the clock.
Hotel owners and shopkeepers dump their garbage in the open without being checked by the authorities.
Talking to Pakistan Today, Abdullah, who had come to board a bus, came down hard on the authorities who held left the Pirwadhai terminal, one of the biggest bus stands in the twin cities, in a state of dereliction. “What are the officials at the helm doing? The whole of the terminal needs attention,” he added.
Akbar Khan, a shopkeeper, told Pakistan Today, that the underground water pipeline had been choked with garbage over the past few months, but no one has bothered to come there and fix the problem. “We have made a litany of complaints to the authorities concerned, but unfortunately they have turned a deaf ear”, he said, adding the streams along the road are also choked with garbage and mud. Khan warned that if the faulty drainage system in the area was not fixed soon, it could cause massive flooding during the monsoon season. “The monsoon season has already begun but the authorities haven’t made any contingency plan yet,” he said.
Dilshad, a shopkeeper, said the monsoons have arrived but there are no signs of preparation on the part of the authorities. “Despite claims to the contrary, the authorities haven’t taken any precautionary measures to avert possible flooding,” Dilshad said, adding perhaps the authorities were waiting for floods to unleash destruction and only then they would reinforce the banks of the ‘nullah’ in Pirwadhai.
Muhammad Saleem, a pedestrian, said stinking smell from garbage and sewage makes it difficult for people to stand there long enough. “Emergency measures are needed to rid the area of filth”, he added.
Besides, the roads are also in a dilapidated condition and need carpeting. Vendors have encroached upon the footpaths along the road linking Pirwadhai to Raja Bazaar.
The road is jagged on various locations which causes problems in the smooth flow of traffic. The drivers, especially those of trucks, have to be very careful while driving through the ditches.
An official told Pakistan Today that they had constituted various teams to fix the drainage system and a cleanliness campaign has been kicked off. “These teams have been tasked with cleaning the drains,” he added. He said that they were monitoring the situation closely as there was always a fear of floods during the monsoon season.
