Sindh CM orders survey of rain-hit areas

KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah has directed the senior Board of Revenue members to complete a survey of losses caused by rains as soon as possible so that proper relief to victims could be provided.

The chief minister, while presiding over a meeting to review the overall post-rainfall situation in Sindh at CM House, said roads via which the Muharram procession will pass should be cleared post haste.

During the meeting, Murad Ali Shah lashed out at the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) and other government departments after several areas in Karachi continued to resemble lakes after two days of a torrential downpour.

Directing the concerned officials to drain the water in areas still flooded in the metropolis, the chief minister questioned why several areas in the southern district were still submerged in water.

Turning to KMC, Murad Ali Shah asked why KMC’s Urban Disaster Response Unit was not at the forefront in cleaning up the city after the heavy downpour.

The chief minister ordered the concerned departments to pinpoint areas where the flow of water could be stopped. “If any building is obstructing the flow of water, bulldoze it whether it is public or private. We have to fix the city no matter how drastic the measures we have to take,” the CM said.

He also directed all the district commissioners to ensure their areas were cleaned, especially drains which get choked due to garbage.

The chief minister also directed all the district commissioners to ensure their areas were cleaned, especially drains which get choked due to garbage.

“Drains get cleaned because of the flow of water but plastic bags and mud chokes it,” Murad Ali Shah noted.

Speaking about the power woes of the metropolis, Shah said that power was yet to be restored in several areas in the city. “170 KE feeders out of 1,900 are yet to be restored,” he added.

Briefing the meeting, the deputy commissioner said there was an issue of garbage collection in the Central district.

The commissioner added that low-lying areas were still flooded as all the nullahs were emptied in the Southern district, which takes time to drain.

To this, the chief minister said he was aware there was not enough staff, which is why temporary staff should be hired to move the cleaning process along.

Commissioner Mirpur Khas told the chief minister that more than 80 percent of the crops had been destroyed in Mirpur Khas and Tharparkar due to the recent rains, while water was yet to be drained from Mithi, Islamkot and other areas.