Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The nullahs (streams) once a source of fresh water had become filthy due to dumping of garbage.

Despite claims of the capital’s civic body to initiate work on the cleanliness of nullahs, there is still a need to clean the streams, which are causing smelly environment for the people of the federal capital.

The residents living along the nullahs have requested the Capital Development Authority (CDA) to take steps for cleanliness. They said that the nullah had become a garbage dump and are creating hurdles in the flow of rainwater.

A resident Razia Begum of G7 slum said that once such nullahs contained clean water, which people used for chores but now these have become mere garbage dumps. She urged the Capital Development Authority to keep the nullahs clean to avoid health problems.

A frequently used pedestrian bridge at the G7 nullah near the Zero Point is without a safety fence and has become a constant threat for the residents.

The residents of the locality said that due to heavy rains, the safety fence of the bridge was removed to facilitate the flow of rainwater.

They said that the Capital Development Authority should clean the nullah and construct the fence for their safety adding that the CDA officials on several occasions launched campaigns to clean the nullahs but people throw garbage into them.

A CDA official said people living close to nullahs should avoid throwing garbage into them adding that the nullahs were cleaned several times.

The civic body has already constituted special teams to ensure daily cleanliness of nullahs, said another official of CDA.

He said that during the first phase, around three dumper of garbage was lifted from the nullahs.

While in the next phase, teams of CDA Sanitation Directorate comprised of nullah coolies would carryout the cleanliness work and lifting of garbage from different nullahs on war footing.

He said that if the cleanliness of these nullahs is carried out on daily basis, the garbage mess could be controlled adding that the nullahs flowing in the capital city were once neat and clean streams but with the passage of time, the residents of the city connected sewerage lines and settlements around these nullahs.

In order to ensure the flow of clean treated water, CDA is working on a pilot project in collaboration with National Agriculture Research Council (NARC).

Under this project, the stream flowing through the Rose and Jasmine Garden will be planted with the plants having anti-pollution capabilities.

A CDA official said that in order to remove the toxic elements from these nullahs, ten new ponds would also be constructed to treat the polluted water and the work on this project has been initiated adding that the treated water would be used for agriculture purpose.

During the next phase, all the Nullahs flowing through the federal capital would be treated under the bio-remediation in order to enhance the beauty of the capital city. On a separate note, Capital Development Authority (CDA) has installed dustbins on different places along hiking trails of Margalla Hills to keep the environment clean.

It is observed that generally people do not use them properly and throw empty bottles and waste materials at the open places that cause pollution.

An official said that the CDA launched anti-littering campaigns from time to time to create awareness among public about health hazards of littering garbage at public and recreational points.

He said that the people should not create pollution by throwing soft drinks’ bottles and cigarettes buds at public places like Margalla hiking trails. A visitor said that regular visitors do not litter trails but people who come here occasionally bring meals and drinking water with them. They somehow litter these places without taking care of other people, though civic body has installed dustbins at different locations throughout the trails, he added.