ISLAMABAD - The perpetual increase in the construction of houses, shops and temporary set-ups in connivance of the Capital Development Authority (CDA) officials on the banks of streams at various sectors in the federal capital has increased the danger of mishaps during the monsoon because drainage capacity of the streams has been lowered due to incessant filling of streams with garbage.
Sources said that immense illegal construction of houses, shops and temporary set-ups on the banks of streams in Sector G-7/1-2-3, G-8/1, F-6, F-7/4 have raised the danger of mishaps during the monsoon as drainage capacity of the streams has been decreased due to illegal construction on the banks and non-stop throwing of garbage into the streams.
The streams were basically for the drainage of floodwater from the federal capital during monsoon but reports said that now drainage capacity of the streams is less then 50 percent, which is alarming situation for the concerned authorities who were not initiating any action against the illegal construction and cleaning of streams. It was also reported that CDA’s sanitation truck drivers in order to save time and diesel throw the garbage collected from various sectors of the capital into the streams, which is illegal and have blocked the water flow.
CDA has set up Flood Relief Cell in the Emergency and Disaster Management Directorate of Fire Brigade Headquarters in order to avert any untoward incident while Director General Civic Management Rawal Khan Matela has been appointed as the chief coordinator of the relief cell. CDA has also connected Environment, Enforcement, Municipal Administration, Planning Wing, E&M, Maintenance, MP and Capital Hospital’s Emergency Service to the flood cell in order to cope the situation in better way.   Chairman CDA Farkhand Iqbal had previously ordered the dwellers on the banks of streams to demolish their illegally erected structures otherwise concerned authorities would take action against them but unfortunately nothing happened yet as the monsoon rains spell have also started.
The demolition of the illegally constructed buildings at streams in various sectors of the federal capital is immensely required in order to save precious lives during the monsoon spell as Met office already forecasted 15 percent surge in the rains during the current season so it is the duty of the concerned authorities to initiate effective measures.