Climate experts warn neglect of waterways may worsen flood situation in Karachi

Climate change experts and civil society members have called for the urgent restoration and clearing of Karachis natural waterways warning that continued negligence could lead to more frequent and severe urban flooding Dawn reportedThe concerns were raised during a session titled Obstacles to Karachis Natural Waterways and Potential Threats held at the Karachi Press Club Speakers noted that housing societies such as Saadi Town and Saadi Garden along with projects near the Malir Expressway also known as ShahrahiBhutto were built on natural waterways and posed serious environmental risksAccording to Dawn participants pointed out that hill torrents from the Kirthar range often swell the Lyari and Malir rivers making it critical to remove blockages and encroachments to ensure smooth water flowUrban planner Muhammad Toheed said climate change was now an undeniable reality and stressed that while other countries had upgraded their drainage and infrastructure Karachi remained far behind Environmental and climaterelated issues are nowhere on our list of priorities he said Despite Pakistan being among the most vulnerable countries to climate change the issue is still not treated with the urgency it deservesToheed criticised the absence of proper planning and coordination among civic bodies adding that contractors often build roads without engineering oversight This results in poorly designed surfaces that cause water accumulation and the formation of lowlying floodprone areas he noted as reported by DawnHe also condemned the Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation for discharging sewage into stormwater drains This is a disaster Now we cant even tell the difference between a sewerage line and a storm water drain he said The citys sewerage system has collapsed with sewage stagnating in several areas even in the absence of rainfallAgriculturist Azeem Dehqan reminded residents of Karachis history and said Malir and its surrounding areas were once fertile lands producing crops fruits and vegetables He said this agricultural productivity had collapsed due to poor urban planning and unchecked housing projectsSimilarly author Ramzan Baloch recalled that Malir was once known for clean drinking water and highquality crops Over the years the area has suffered severe degradation of its natural resources he said lamenting the lack of public interest in environmental issuesSocial activist Bashir Baloch underlined that large volumes of rainwater from the Kirthar range flowed into the Lyari and Malir rivers and stressed the need to clear obstructions to prevent future disasters Referring to a past incident he said The British had once constructed a railway bridge over the Malir River which was later washed away by heavy rains due to the large volume of water flowing through the river Something similar had happened during the current rainsHe also criticised the Karachi mayor saying he lacked a proper understanding of the citys geography and its natural water channels as evident from his recent media briefingsClimate activist Yasir Darya warned that climate change had made weather patterns increasingly unpredictable Even weather experts are now struggling to accurately forecast conditions beyond a few days In such a situation better urban planning is urgently needed in Karachi to prepare for and adapt to these changes he saidA resolution passed during the session demanded the restoration of Karachis natural waterways and sewerage system the protection of agricultural land sewage treatment for farming use and safeguards for villages within city limits Lawyers Abeera Ashfaque Kazim Mahesar and others also addressed the gathering Dawn reportedThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever