KARACHI has always been a relatively dry region, with very few sources of potable water. Due to the scarcity of rainfall in this city, for many decades, no system of rainwater drainage was built. However, over the past few years, the intensity of annual monsoon rains in Karachi has increased tremendously, due to environmental-degradation and global climate-change. Torrential rain-storms are now being experienced in this metropolitan city, after every couple of years, causing loss of precious lives, properties and infrastructure.
As this city is the biggest sea-port and commercial capital of Pakistan, people from all over the country come here to seek jobs and establish businesses. It has rapidly grown into one of the biggest cities of the world facing many socio-economic challenges. And so, the ‘Urban Flooding’ and destruction after rains have now become a debilitating crisis for the citizens.
Several years ago, the ‘Defence Housing Authority’ (DHA) and the ‘Cantonment Board Clifton’ (CBC) were the worst-hit areas in a debilitating rain-storm. So, these authorities undertook a very costly project to build an effective rain-water system, for these neighborhoods. However, that vast drainage network also proved to be insufficient for the unprecedented cloud-bursts in 2022, when DHA and CBC were inundated once again, along with the whole city.
The authorities concerned are now undertaking another massive project to build bigger, deeper channels to prevent urban-flooding. Let us hope and pray that this new network of underground water-channels will be completed, well-before the next heavy rain-spell to ensure more effective management of rain-water in future.
Kashif Arif
Karachi
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