Rain exposes Wasa lofty claims

LAHORE - The monsoon crash program initiated on the directives of Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif has been entirely exposed, as just 38 millimetre rain on Monday brought flood like situation in the city making alarming bells for the CDGL, WASA, SWM and other civic agencies that if it rains more than the intensity, city is likely to be doomed to face tsunami like situation.

Lahorities are under the great panic fearing that nevertheless numerous arrangements made by WASA and other agencies with launching monsoon crash program, if merely 38 mm rain could turn the city into pounds and lakes, then how might they be rescued in heavy rain. WASA launched the monsoon crash program by constituting a six members committee headed by Wasa Vice Chairman Bilal Yaseen and comprising PML-N MPAs, including Salman Rafiq, Dr Asad Ashraf, Mehr Ishtiaq, Hafiz Nauman and Punjab information secretary Khawaja Hassan.

The committee was assigned to improve the management and operation of the agency and monitoring the monsoon crash programme to ensure dewatering and desilting operation throughout the rainy season. The committee also prepared the list of most critical areas and established emergency centers. But regretfully the committee could not produce the desired results.

Uninterrupted rain, varying in consistency from drizzle to heavy showers, whipped up the city, changed the entire picture of the city into big pounds and lakes causing a lot of problems to the commuters, passers-by and residents.