Sewerage network fails amid rains in Quetta
QUETTA: Quetta wore the look of a flood-hit city as rainwater entered houses and shops in several localities after heavy rain lashed the provincial capital for the third day on Wednesday.
Mud houses were damaged in some areas where sewerage system had collapsed with people accusing the government and municipal authorities of doing nothing to help those affected.
“No official of any government department has visited the affected areas nor has any effort been made to help people affected by the rain,” said Shah Jahan, a resident of Sariab area.
Take a look: A big chill sweeps across the country
Sariab Road, Sabzal Road, Brewery Road, Spiny Road, Kasi Road, Mizan Chowk, Prince Road, Musa Colony, Satellite Town, Wahdat Colony and Nawan Killi are among the areas where rainwater has accumulated on roads and sewerage system has been choked.
The Met office said that the city had received over 35 millimetres of rain between Monday and Wednesday. The mercury has dropped and intermittent showers have contributed to a sharp increase in cold. The maximum temperature was recorded at 14 degrees Centigrade and the minimum at 4 degrees. Traffic on city roads was thin and people preferred to remain indoors.
Prices of gas, wood and coal were increased in the wake of a surge in their demand. Low gas pressure has been reported from most areas, including Jinnah Town, Sariab and Nawan Killi, which has compounded problems being faced by people in chilly weather.
During the tenure of the previous provincial government, a covered drain system was laid in the city but soon it became non-functional in several areas because of garbage and polythene bags thrown into it. The present government and the municipal corporation have taken no steps to clean the drains.
Published in Dawn, November 12th, 2015