- Public money, but not rainwater, goes down the drain
The one and only Khadim-e-Aala pledged to transform Lahore into the Paris of the East, and no doubt convinced in his fevered imagination of accomplishing this Herculean labour in his decade of power, was inspired to make a similar tall promise during a recent Karachi electioneering visit, to turn that now embarrassing apology of a modern city into a New York. But the depressing reality of his so-called restless energy and workaholic habits are painfully revealed to Lahore citizens from all stations of life, especially at this time of year when the monsoon makes it first welcome appearance, reviving the parched land and bringing respite to perspiring dwellers of the historic city.
For, with a fated inevitability, also fatal to the unfortunate or unlucky, the monsoon comes as a mixed-bag package, with some familiar adverse side effects: pot-holed roads converted into treacherous lakes, stagnant water turning the entire city into a gridlocked traffic jam, a nightmare for commuters, major roads blocked, vehicles stalled, and tragically, human casualties from collapsing buildings and horrible electrocution, caused by falling overhead cables or by charged electric poles, making surrounding inundated areas a death trap, a criminal negligence by Water and Sanitation Agency, repeated every year. But ironically for domestic LESCO consumers, the first to vanish nervously at the slightest waft of wind or drops of rain is the electric power, and no knowing when it would condescend to return, with the tap water eagerly following its sister utility into the unknown void.
The 250mm plus rain recorded by Tuesday morning has so far reportedly caused at least six deaths, including three by electrocution, and injuries to three others, apart from totally disrupting normal life, tripping about 150 feeders, with the WASA staff utterly helpless in draining the knee-deep water. With more rain forecast in the next two days, it appears a classic case of, ‘water, water everywhere… nor any drop to drink’, and missing electricity supply also thrown in. Thank Heaven for small mercies, for Rescue 1122, and that a certain hatted, showbiz chief minister would not be seen this time flaunting his rubber hip wader boots in Lakshmi Chowk (Lake!).
