Daily Times

When it rains, we start discussing the problems created during the rainy season. This has been persistent for decades and is of no use. Preventing these issues requires serious and urgent attention, before the rainy season. Consider this: A high-level meeting held at the President’s House in Islamabad discussed measures to protect Karachi from urban flooding. The meeting included Chief Minister Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah, Local Government Minister Saeed Ghani, Mayor of Karachi Murtaza Wahab, senior government officials and local and international water management experts.

This meeting should be a textbook study of ill planning. During the meeting, the president directed the preparation of a comprehensive plan to prevent urban flooding in Karachi as a priority. Look, the timing of the meeting and urgency of the measures. The meeting came up with ideas like underground tunnel systems in cities like Washington, London and Singapore as potential models for Karachi. Hopefully, once the monsoon is over, the plans would be buried. The meeting discussed plans for using underground water and treating sewage water before it enters the sea. Measures to clean the coastal areas and elevate Karachi to the level of other major metropolitan cities were also considered. These plans represent a positive development for Karachi.

While these long-term solutions are being developed, immediate and pre-season measures are also necessary. Covering open sewers and unblocking manholes should be prioritized to prevent accidents and improve sanitation. Removing encroachments over drains is essential to ensure the free flow of water. These actions will help alleviate some of the immediate problems caused by heavy rains.

The challenges faced by Karachi during the rainy season are not new, but the increasing severity of urban flooding demands that we take action now. The high-level meeting in Islamabad is a step in the right direction, and the proposed plans for underground tunnels and improved sewage treatment are promising. Yet, we must also focus on short-term solutions to address the immediate dangers and inconveniences caused by flooding. By combining emergency measures with long-term infrastructure projects, we can better protect cities from the devastating effects of urban flooding. This can be done if all stakeholders, including government officials, water management experts and the public, work together to implement these solutions. *