NAROWAL: Several areas of the city remain submerged with sewage as the mega sewerage project has been shut down for three years due to unavailability of funds.

The Municipal Committee staff has failed to open sewerage lines. Pir Syed Mazharul Hassan aka Chan Pir, a member of Punjab Assembly elected from Narowal city, had laid underground sewerage pipelines while carrying out development work in the city way back in 1987. The diameter of the underground sewerage pipe was only 18 inches and it provided drainage facility to the citizens for 15 years.

The system, however, was shut down owing to growing population and a lack of regular cleaning of sewerage lines. In 2005, the Tehsil Municipal Administration due to a lack of development funds constructed open drainage system along the roads. The city’s sewerage system was improved and worked until 2014 when open drainage canals were closed with cement. Mohallah Hajwair Colony, Chowkandi, Main Bazaar, Khwajagan, Abubakarpura, Rasoolpura, Girls College Road and dozens of streets were affected.

In 2017, Ahsan Iqbal launched a mega sewerage project at a cost of Rs180 million. The project of laying six-foot diameter sewerage pipe started from Chan Pir Road in the middle of Narowal city and work began on regular plan for discharge of sewage effluent in Defence drain near Plot Reb village.

During the two years, the Department of Public Health Engineering laid about one kilometre sewerage pipe underground. The PTI government cut off funds for the construction of the project.

People have been facing inconvenience while using roads and streets. Mohammad Rafiq and Ali Asghar said it was difficult to move out of homes because of stench and sewage. “We and our children wade through dirty water to reach schools and offices,” they said.

Municipal Committee chairman Pir Syed Azharul Hassan said the mega sewerage project had been closed owing to unavailability of funds.

He said this mega sewerage project was an ideal project in which there was no need for disposal stations and water turbines. The sewerage system was to operate on a 12-foot natural flow from the city and there was no need for a new system for the next 50 years had this project been completed.

The citizens have demanded Chief Minister Usman Buzdar to provide funds for the project in Narowal so that the citizens could be protected from dirt and diseases.

Published in Dawn, December 26th, 2021