AS has been happening for the last several years, Sindh has been warned of a heavy monsoon. Are we better prepared this year? That is the unanswered question haunting many a mind. The urban floods of 2011 and the heavy rains in 2015, 2020 and 2022 resulted in significant damage to life and property. Will it be any different this time?

The Sindh government and the mayor of Sukkur have claimed readiness in terms of drainage, water pumps, evacuation plans as well as alternative routes. The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) is all ready, we are told. The only thing is that we are told all this every year, but when it rains, all these preparations are also washed away. Will it be different this year?

Has the government assessed the effectiveness of the Left Bank Outfall Drain (LBOD) and the Right Bank Outfall Drain (RBOD) systems in the light of what happened in 2022 and earlier? Moreover, will these systems stand the flow and prevent flooding, especially in Qambar-Shahdadkot, Larkana, Dadu and Jamshoro districts, or will it be yet another disaster in these regions?

Will this year see the distribution of emerg­ency ser­­­­­­­­­­­vic­­­es, like machinery, dewatering pumps, life jackets, boats as well as rescue pe­­­­r­s­­­­­onnel, getting done fairly, or will it be subject to favouritism as has mostly be­en the case? All these questions are giving sleepless nights to the people. Their hope lies in the possibility that the for­­­e­­c­­­­­­­­­ast may be less than accurate.

Majid Mahairi
Tando Muhammad Khan

Published in Dawn, August 4th, 2024