KARACHI: On Tuesday, the Sindh High Court questioned the Cantonment Board Clifton and the Defence Housing Authority about their efforts over the last two years to ensure proper rainwater drainage.
Motorcyclists are suffering injuries in accidents because of the damaged and flooded roads in DHA, according to an SHC division bench headed by Justice Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi.
The bench was hearing residents of DHA and Clifton’s petitions for the appointment of a qualified sanitation engineer to conduct a thorough assessment of the drainage infrastructure in the area.
The court ruled that even though rainwater had been removed from Karachi’s Katchi Abadis (slum areas), it had not from DHA.
The court also stated that damaged roads were not being fixed under the guise of anticipated additional monsoon rains. The bench stated that half of DHA had been converted into a slum area; even Lyari’s situation was better than DHA.
The bench also mentioned that houses had been constructed over natural storm water drainage systems without permissions from relevant departments.
The petitioners requested that a committee be established to conduct assessment of the drainage infrastructure and that the DHA and cantonment boards be instructed to take necessary steps in building effective drainage systems within their respective spheres.
In addition, the DHA had submitted a contingency plan to handle any emergency that might arise as a result of future downpours based on observations made during the intense rains of August 2020.
