KARACHI: On Monday, President Asif Ali Zardari gave the Sindh government the go-ahead to prioritize developing a thorough strategy to stop urban flooding in Karachi. He placed a strong emphasis on implementing a long-term, sustainable plan for managing stormwater and sewage that is based on global best practices.
He voiced these opinions at a discussion at Aiwan-e-Sadr on preventing urban flooding in Karachi, addressing environmental degradation, and advancing sustainable development of water resources.
International specialists in water and wastewater management gave a range of proposals during the meeting, putting forth models based on Singapore’s Deep Tunnel Sewerage System, the London Super Sewer Project, and Washington DC’s tunnel sewer systems.
In Karachi’s high-flood zones, a network of small and large sewage tunnels under the current highways was envisaged. It was emphasized that contemporary subterranean tunneling methods wouldn’t interfere with city traffic, land ownership, or the general public.
According to experts, Karachi produces approximately 450 million gallons of sewage daily (MGD). This sewage is currently gathered in both large and small open drains that flow into the Lyari and Malir rivers before being dumped untreated into the sea and contaminating the marine environment.
They pointed out that, under typical conditions, the current network of drains can only hold so much water—roughly 50% of the precipitation. Urban flooding results from extra water that the system is unable to absorb.
President Zardari emphasized that the feasibility assessment for using tunneling alternatives to reduce floods in Karachi must be finished in three months. He said that in order for Karachi and its coastal areas to become comparable to other global metropolises, they had to be cleaned up.
He recommended that the Sindh government approach foreign donors to seek environmental financing because the proposed project will have a substantial impact on the environment.
He added that similar urban flooding and sewage problems that require immediate attention exist in Hyderabad.
The president added that building a wastewater treatment system will support the fishing industry and help supply Balochistan with purified water for agriculture.
