KARACHI: Sharing their concerns over the city’s high vulnerability to urban flooding at a programme held on Friday, experts and concerned citizens called for improved governance and infrastructure leading to efficient systems for drainage, solid waste collection and disposal.

They also emphasised the need for climate change adaptation strategies and training communities for natural hazards.

The discussion, organised at the Climate Action Center (CAC), focused on Karachi’s lack of preparedness for heavy downpour against the backdrop of the recent unprecedented rains in Dubai that brought the city to a standstill.

The participants were of the view that while both cities experienced predictable weather systems in most parts of the year, the recent downpour in Dubai was exceptionally intense and difficult to forecast accurately.

Need stressed for including climate disaster preparedness education in curriculum

The other important factor for consideration, they said, was having an infrastructure resilient to flooding. In the case of Karachi, the storm water drain system hadn’t been developed to meet the city’s growing needs. This poor state of existence was directly linked to poor governance prevailing for a long time, they added.

Sharing his views, Dr Aamir Alamgir, a senior teacher and researcher associated with Karachi University’s Institute of Environmental Studies, identified poor solid waste management as a major cause of urban flooding.

“Karachi generates nearly 20,000 tonnes of daily waste, much of which ends up on the streets and clogged the drainage systems,” he said, while regretting the lack of waste segregation practices in the city.

He pointed to the gap between talk and action, emphasising the need for concrete climate actions and said that Pakistan lagged far behind in progress in this sector with respect to other developing nations.

Zubair Ahmed Siddiqui, chief meteorologist from Islamabad, addressed concerns related to weather forecasts. He acknowledged the possibility of minor errors in forecasts, but stressed weather experts were committed to providing accurate information to the best of their knowledge.

He clarified that Karachi’s monsoon rains were a seasonal event, unlike Dubai’s downpour, which resulted from a less predictable weather disturbance.

He avoided linking this year’s unusual rainfall systems to climate change but acknowledged that they could be a consequence of global warming and evolving weather patterns.

The discussion also touched upon the ongoing heatwave and water scarcity. Concerns were raised that these factors could exacerbate the situation, potentially leading to a deadly heatwave as Karachi had experienced in the past.

Representatives from non-profit organisations highlighted their efforts in disaster management despite limited government support.

Mansha Noor from Caritas spoke about their deep community ties and trained volunteers who performed rescue and relief operations during rain emergencies.

He criticised the government’s inaction and lip service, emphasising the need for state-of-the-art training for communities and climate disaster preparedness education incorporated into school curriculum.

Haroon Shahid of Alkhidmat Foundation assured their readiness for the upcoming monsoon season. Their network of trained and motivated volunteers is prepared to handle any situation arising from heavy rains.

The participants regretted absence of key government representatives, including the city district government, Provincial Disaster Management Authority and Sindh Climate Change Directorate, in the programme and said that it indicated lack of official commitment to tackling potential natural threats.

They also lamented the politicisation of disaster management in Karachi, which often led to finger-pointing instead of proactive measures.

CAC Director Yasir Husain criticised the government departments for lack of service delivery despite the city’s huge contribution in terms of tax generation.

Published in Dawn, May 11th, 2024