SUKKUR, Aug 5: Accumulated rainwater on main arteries and streets of Sukkur city caused much inconvenience to residents and commuters on Monday, two days after the first monsoon shower hit the province despite a contingency plan chalked out by the district administration and the North Sindh Urban Services Corporation (NSUSC).

The district administration and the NSUSC had held several meetings before the monsoon to chalk out a plan for monsoon rains but neither was any arrangement observed on the ground nor were the municipal authorities seen making any effort to drain the standing rainwater from the city’s streets.

Since Saturday, the link road between Sukkur and Rohri near the district jail has been submerged by rainwater, badly affecting the flow of traffic. Rainwater is also still standing in many areas including Old Sukkur, Latif Park, Vaspur Muhalla, Bhakkar Chowk, Royal Road and Micro Colony while houses situated in the low-lying areas are flooded.

Moreover, heaps of garbage is lying around in commercial areas including Shahi Bazaar, Paan Mandi, Frere Road, Clock Tower roundabout, excise office, Mission Road, Neem ki Chhari and Mehran Markaz and the foul smell caused great irritation to both traders and customers.

Meanwhile, leaders of different political parties including the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) district president Sarwar Latif, PML-N leaders Shahzado Bhutto and Zahid Mumtaz Shoro, Sunni Tehreek leaders Moula Noor Ahmed Qasmi, Mehboob Sahito and Rizwan Qadri strongly criticised the NSUSC.

They said that the utility only worked on paper while it failed to actually provide citizens with facilities, citing the rain aftermath as a case in point. They alleged that the company had recruited bachelors’ and masters’ degree holders as sanitary workers who drew salaries while sitting in their homes.

They appealed to the Sindh chief minister to take notice of the company’s poor performance and take the necessary steps for providing emergency relief services to people of the third biggest city in the province.

Though officials of the NSUSC including its managing director were unavailable for comment, assistant Sukkur City commissioner Dr Waheed Asghar Bhatti said that heavy motors had been installed to pump out the accumulated rainwater from District Jail Road and steps were also being taken to remove garbage from the city.