A system choked

Due to the indifference and negligence of the relevant authorities, the residents of Clifton Block 4 in Karachi have been forced to put up with a completely choked sewerage. The area residents’ association, a registered body, has tried over the years to have the problem fixed on a self-help basis, but this has always been a short-term solution that lasts no more than a few days. As things stand today, the situation has gone out of control and the drains need to be cleaned with heavy machinery and equipment. There is a well-orchestrated system of blame-shift between the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) and the District Municipal Corporation (DMC) South. After a month-long effort, it has been determined that the drains clogged are actually rainwater drains that with time have been connected to the main sewers that fall under the domain of the DMC concerned. Despite daily follow-ups with DMC South, nothing has even started to move forward. All we are getting now is a new set of excuses on a daily basis. The area, meanwhile, is stinking, puddles of stagnant water continue to be a breeding ground of mosquitoes and flies, and constant overflow of water continues to damage the roads beyond repair. Somebody somewhere really needs to wake up from slumber and take notice of what life is like in what is supposedly a developed neighbourhood of the city.
ALI MANZOOR
KARACHI