Dumping on bank of Leh Nullah continues

[Salman]

Dumping on bank of Leh Nullah continues

RAWALPINDI, April 17: In clear violation of the orders of Rawalpindi commissioner, the Punjab Works and Communication Department is dumping debris produced by the Chandni Chowk flyover project on the bank of Leh Nullah.

The flyover’s construction material waste is all set to obstruct smooth flow of sewage, and departments concerned fear that if dumping continues, the nullah will overflow in monsoon.

The Punjab government opened the Rs1.216 billion flyover for traffic last month.

Interestingly, the provincial works and communication department is dumping the waste right under the nose of Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) and Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) offices between.

The commissioner has recently imposed a ban on dumping garbage and construction material waste on the banks of Leh Nullah as they create hurdle in the smooth flow of water.

The CDGR has fined 12 people for dumping on the banks of Leh Nullah during the last one week, but it failed to stop the government departments and agencies from this practice.

The City District Government Rawalpindi (CDGR) and RDA have asked the Punjab Works and Communication department to remove the debris immediately.

The CDGR official on condition of anonymity said despite the ban, different departments were still dumping construction material waste along the Leh Nullah.

He said the residents of Gawalmandi Mohallah near Leh Nullah had pointed out that the trucks daily dumped the construction waste material on the banks.

He said the provincial government had spent more than Rs47 million last year on removing the hurdles to the smooth flow of sewage in the nullah.

“We have asked the Punjab Works and Communication Department to remove the debris along the nullah but it is yet to start the work,” he said and added that the de-silting of Leh Nullah should also start on urgent basis before the monsoon as it would take three months to clear the nullah.

“The debris along Leh Nullah is a serious matter as it will also become breeding place for dengue mosquitoes. The district health department has fumigated the nullahs and the dumping will create problem for the health department,” said District Officer Health, Dr Ansar Ishaq.

“We are not responsible for maintenance of the Leh Nullah and we work on the directives of the Punjab government,” said Raja Shaukat Mehmood, Wasa Managing Director.

He said Wasa was responsible for cleaning the sewerage system, whereas nullah and drains fell in the CDGR jurisdiction. He said that Wasa would start de-silting of the nullah if the government provided funds. “We have demanded Rs52 million in this regard,” he said.

When contacted, District Officer Solid Waste Management Dr. Mazhar Azeem said during monsoon the nullah got furious as different agencies working at different places in the city dumped construction waste material on its banks.

He said that the department had written letters to the Rawal Town Municipal Administration (RTMA), RDA and other departments advising them against dumping waste on the banks of the nullah.

He said different agencies were working in different parts of the city for the construction of streets and roads and they should dump the waste outside the city.

When approached, District Coordination Officer (DCO) Saqib Zafar said the works and communication department was dumping the construction material waste outside the city.

He said the CDGR would soon start drive to clear the banks of nullahs and drains of solid and construction material waste before the start of the monsoon.