Stagnant contaminated water standing on the road at Pindora Chowk near Said Pur Road has been worrying citizens for the past month as it serves as a breeding ground for mosquitoes that cause dengue fever and other infectious diseases, but the authorities concerned are doing nothing to improve the drainage system of the city.
Citizens said they were concerned about the dangerous situation in the light of the dengue fever epidemic that had hit the country after this year’s monsoon and urged the authorities to take serious action to improve the sanitation of the city.
Muhammad Sadiq, a shopkeeper at Pindora Chowk, told Pakistan Today that the water had been standing for a month because of blocked gutters. “It poses a threat to our lives because dengue fever and a family of viruses are transmitted by mosquitoes,” he added. He said pedestrians and motorists were unable to use the road because of the water. A visitor Sabit Khan said the water left pedestrians unable to cross the road. He said the area was a busy one and a huge number of motorists used the road.
Maqsood, a taxi cab driver said the water was a nuisance for him as he took that road daily when taking his commuters to their destinations.
Residents of the area demanded of the Rawalpindi Development Authority, Tehsil Municipal Administration and other concerned authorities to take steps on emergency ground for the improvement of the drainage system so the problem of the stagnant contaminated water standing at various places in the city could be solved. They also asked for fumigation spraying in the area to ensure the safety of residents from the dengue epidemic.
