Daily Times

The Sindh High Court, while expressing its indignation on Wednesday, summoned the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation and Mayor Office officials over negligence of duty after torrential rains hit the city, causing drains to overflow, power outages, and loss of lives and property.

The SHC was hearing a petition related to the drain and sewerage system of the city’s Central district, where SHC Justice Khadim Hussain Shaikh questioned the performance of the authorities in the city.

The judge, in his remarks, said that the entire city gets inundated during rains due to debris across the metropolis, clogged drains.

“It is a tragedy that no one has the realisation of (the stranded water problem). Karachi drowned (during torrential rainstorms) due to illegal encroachments and not picking up of the garbage. Every institution blames the other one when it comes to taking responsibility,” he said.

“Did anyone see that the vehicles in Karachi were drowning? And the people could not take their children out of their homes. During the rains, people’s homes and stuff all got destroyed. Will any of us go into the dirty water?”

In continuation, the court also questioned the system for lifting and disposing of animal remains and waste after Eidul Adha.

To which, the government’s counsel responded that funds have been allocated to the relevant authorities in this regard and the waste will be disposed off.

“The government is concerned with funds before doing any work,” remarked the judge.

Responding to the remark, the counsel said that the responsibility to pick up garbage lies with the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation and Solid Waste Management.

“The Solid Waste Management department has not been given the responsibility to lift up garbage from the Central district,” said the lawyer before the High Court.

The SHC, after hearing the arguments, summoned relevant officials from the KMC and Karachi Mayor Wasim Akhtar’s office.

Since Sunday, the heavy rain showers have caused severe damage to the infrastructure of the city, and at least 10 people have lost their lives in rain-related incidents.

Moreover, residents in several areas braced prolonged power outages, besides their homes being inundated from the rainwater and vehicles floating on heavily flooded streets.

Meanwhile, Edhi Foundation officials Wednesday said ambulance services have been suspended for the whole of Karachi while the Foundation’s helpline numbers have not been working.

Edhi Ambulance Service 115 and all other Information Bureau phones are also closed after recent rains in Karachi, officials said.

Since Sunday, the heavy rains have caused huge damage turning the megacity into a huge deluge. At least 10 people have lost their lives in rain-related incidents including from electrocution.

All phone numbers will remain closed, Edhi officials said. People may call at 02132331813 in case of any emergency, Edhi officials said.

Edhi Foundation one of the top social welfare service providers across Pakistan and globe running on a non-commercial, non-political, and non-communal basis, serving round-the-clock without any discrimination of colour, class, and creed.

Also, Karachi, Thatta and Badin are likely to receive light rainfall or drizzle on Wednesday, Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) said in its weather report.

The met office forecast hot and humid weather in other parts of Sindh.

Karachi, Thatta, Hyderabad, Mirpur Khas, Sanghar, Nawabshah and Badin will likely to receive rainfall with thunderstorm on Thursday, the weather report further said.

The city’s several localities also received light rainfall on Tuesday morning as the monsoon system exited from Karachi and other parts of the region.

Maximum temperature in Karachi will remain between 33 – 35 ºCelsius and the humidity will be 70-80 % in morning and 55 – 65 % in the evening, according to the weather department. The winds are blowing in westerly and southwesterly direction.

Heavy rainfall flooded Orangi Town, Surjani Town, Clifton, Gadap Town, Garden Town, Federal B Area, Jamshed Road and the old city areas on Sunday causing power outages in several areas of the city.

The rain played havoc in the city, as most of the roads were submerged with rainwater.

The presence of rainwater caused accidents and affected underground power cables, the city’s power utility spokesperson said.