During the process of development work, the simultaneous bulldozing and digging of ground in all areas of Karachi by the City District Government of Karachi (CDGK) has paralysed peaceful living.
As precautionary measures to safeguard human lives, there are no arrangements of diversion indicators, demarcations and detour beacons around the areas under development. This has disturbed the driving on roads, movement on service roads, pedestrian walks, the healthy environment, conservancy, landlines of PTCL, Sui gas and above all the supply of water and drainage system.
Wise Military Commanders in emergency never open war fronts all together from four directions. They keep alert on all sides, but infiltrate through one direction and avoid opening a new front till the earlier mission is achieved successfully.
Opening of minimum fronts ensures achieving maximum effort and equally minimises the area of disturbance. But our commander (City Nazim of Karachi), intending to accomplish the maximum, simultaneously from all 4 directions, has maximised disturbances to citizens in all areas of the city, which is not a feasible strategy.
Under the haphazard and disorganised process of development work without supervision of professional engineers, the manpower deployed, are blindly digging the ground in ignorance of existing underground network of KESC, PTCL, KW&SB, Sui Gas, etc.
The situation grow from bad to worse due to havoc caused by current rains with thunderstorm in Karachi. Large number of billboards fell down, water supply was disconnected, drainage blocked, supply of Sui gas disrupted, electric wires broken causing disconnection of power supply for several days.
This claimed about 300 precious lives. Majority of disasters was attributed to mismanagement, no planning to meet emergencies and human negligence of various concerned authorities in governmental machinery.
The Cantonment Board Faisal (CBF) commands the administration of Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Karachi, but neither its Executive Officer, nor any representative, ever visited this area. Quantity of bill boards rose manifold, encroachments increased all around; conservancy deteriorated causing environmental hazards, traffic islands were converted into garbage dumping sectors, service roads and footpath were broken, etc.
In fact, CBF charges 'Property and Conservancy Taxes' to residents of Gulistan-e-Jauhar, but whenever any tax paying resident approached its Executive Officer, he was refused service and referred to CDGK and the later re-directed the person back to CBF, making citizens a shuttle cock.
Most ironically, the KW&SB (W-city div) which comes under direct control of CDGK, despite plenty of reports by citizens, ignored to come to the rescue of emergency repairs of damaged water connections and clearance of drain.
KESC office of SDO-II Gulistan-e-Jauhar was always found closed during the night to listen and resolve public complaints in emergencies. The KW&SB and KESC area offices demand bribes to attend to emergency works, while CDGK's manpower also demand bribes to fill dug-up holes/lines and lift mountains of dug soil after completion of underground work. Roads are left un-carpeted.
The areas between Jauhar Morh and Jauhar Chourangee in blocks-15 to 19, specially around Jauhar Bridge and Jauhar Square, are the worst hit, requiring rehabilitation on a war footing. Governor Sindh and DG Military Lands and Cantonments are requested to come to the rescue of citizens in misery.