City Nazim, Syed Mustafa Kamal, in view of the current spell of rains here on Sunday, declared emergency in the City Government and called all the concerned staff to the duty. He was visiting areas of all the towns of the city particularly the low-lying localities from where complaints of accumulation of water were being received, a statement said here on Sunday.
Managing Director, Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KW&SB), Brigadier Iftikhar Haider, EDO Municipal Services, Masood Alam, EDO Works and Services, Amanullah Chachar, Project Director Taamir-e-Karachi, Rauf Akhtar Farooqui and officers of other departments accompanied the Nazim.
The Nazim directed the staff of KW&SB, Municipal Group of Offices Health, Works and Services Department, Fire Brigade and Parks to report for duty and conduct visits of their respective areas and review the condition of the city and arrange for draining out the standing water.
He also inquired about the situation from each town Nazim and assured to provide necessary support along with machinery and staff on immediate basis in case of any emergency.
Mustafa Kamal directed EDO municipal services and MD KW&SB to ensure removal of water wherever they find it standing. Expressing satisfaction on the overall situation in the city, he said although the heavy spell of rain had started suddenly, there has been report of no untoward incident in the metropolis.
He said rainwater is not standing on the roads, which were constructed during his tenure because for the first time in the city it was ensured that a system of storm water drains is also laid along with them.
If this trend continues, the citizens will be completely relieved from the problem of accumulation of rainwater in the city in the next few years, the City Nazim said.
He said there will be emergency in the City Government until the water on the roads is not dried out and the City Government's staff will continue to work round the clock in this regard.
He advised people to contact the emergency centre at Civic Centre on phone number 134 in case of any emergency, while all such centres of the town will function round the clock.