Karachi has witnessed exponential growth over the past decades. According to the ‘Digital Census’ 2023, Karachi is the most populous city with a population of 20.4 million while Sindh province’s count stood at 55.70 million. This comes with enormous challenges for policymakers, government institutions, civil society, and its residents.
Karachi faces various safety hazards that adversely affect its residents and visitors. This includes health and environmental hazards such as heat waves and urban flooding. As the effects of climate change intensify, the city faces the brunt of adverse weather conditions worsened of apathy of public sector organizations and bureaucratic inertia.
Another major problem faced is road and traffic safety. The city suffers from severe traffic congestion and poorly managed traffic systems, a high rate of road accidents due to reckless driving, lack of adherence to traffic rules, and dilapidated roads.
Electric safety hazards are prevalent in Karachi and the majority of the accidents happen inside homes or private premises. This is largely due to a lack of public awareness. Illegal ‘kunda’ connections also common which are not only cause severe financial losses but also pose a severe safety risk. Building safety is another major concern and many buildings do not adhere to safety regulations.
Take, for instance, the number of electrocution cases that occur in Karachi. More than 388 incidents of electrocution were reported from 2019 to 2023. However, it must be mentioned that 70 percent of electrocution incidents occur within residential premises. Many people have been electrocuted while using a generator or an electric motor in inundated areas. Nearly half of the incidents are fatal and can be prevented by adhering to simple safety precautions.
The main problem arises in reporting safety hazards before an untoward incident occurs. Citizens face immense inconvenience in reporting safety risks in their localities and the lack of response from concerned institutions to address the problem. The lack of coordination and differences over jurisdiction between public sector institutions has affected the lives of Karachi residents.
K-Electric, the largest power utility company, took a step to address safety hazards and improve living conditions in Karachi. In this regard, a mobile app called ‘Alertli’ has been launched which allows citizens to report safety hazards and then the concerned authorities can take measures to rectify the situation. Alertli utilizes crowd sourcing and AI to report safety hazards or accidents. Citizens are urged to download the app and contribute to improving public safety.
Karachi’s digital penetration is the highest among all cities of Pakistan. More than 70 per cent of the residents have access to the internet, with at least one smartphone in every home. Thus, it was an ideal choice to create a mobile app and report all types of safety hazards including encroachments. K-Electric made an effort in enhancing urban safety and effectively reporting safety hazards. The aim was to foster a secure and resilient urban environment by proactively identifying, addressing, and mitigating safety hazards.
Addressing the myriad urban safety, health and environmental hazards in the city requires collaborative efforts from government institutions, service providers, social welfare organizations and even residents. It is the responsibility of all of us to take care of this city as well.
These insights are shared by Asghar Khan. He is a Journalist and also an environment expert.
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