ISLAMABAD: A private housing society in alleged collusion with the Capital Development Authority (CDA) and the Islamabad administration not only reduced the size of the natural stream in E-11/2, but also changed the natural flow of the waterway, leading to urban Flooding. Heavy rain on Wednesday.
Older satellite images taken in 2002 and 2008 show Zigzag Creek entering E-11. However, later in 2010-12, the alignment of the drain in street no 2 was straightened by the society, where a mother and her child drowned after water entered the basement.
After crossing Sector D-12, the creek begins at Margala Hills and E-12 enters E-11. The width of this stream appears to exceed 70 feet on D-12 and E-12, but suddenly, when it enters E-11, it shrinks to 15 to 18 feet. During the heavy rains on Wednesday, the drain became a drain, causing floods.
On the other hand, the society even after realizing the drain covered it by building roads and carved residential and commercial plots on its banks to earn lakhs of rupees. However, the concerned government departments – CDA and ICT Registrar Cooperative Office – did not take any serious action to stop this illegal construction.
Encroachment on rainy drains obstructed the flow of rain water, DC said DC
Earlier in 2010-12, the society had taken the approval of the layout plan from the CDA and on this basis it sold the plot before getting the No Objection Certificate (NOC) and the construction work continued unabated. Late, a few years ago, the CDA revoked the approval of the layout plan, but by then it was too late.
“A committee has already been formed under the chairmanship of DC Islamabad, which is probing the matter. CDA’s public relations officer Syed Asif Shah said that the society’s management is responsible for starting the construction without obtaining NOC from the CDA.
Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar, who is also a local MNA, held a meeting on Thursday to discuss all legal and illegal construction on storm drains at E-11, as well as other housing society issues and their solutions as well. Presidency.
The meeting was attended by Managing Director National Police Foundation, Chief Executive Islamabad Electric Supply Company (Isco), Deputy Commissioner Islamabad and other dignitaries.
According to a statement issued by the Planning Commission, the DC apprised the participants of the meeting that most of the housing societies in E-11 have created illegal encroachments on the drains thereby obstructing the flow of rain water. He said that these societies have also done illegal construction on the green belt and play park.
Mr. Umar directed the Deputy Commissioner to identify the legal and illegal constructions on all storm drains of E-11 and prepare a formal plan to remove the encroachment by next week.
He said that if the encroachment is not removed, there will be flood every year during the rainy season and the lives of the people of the area will be in danger. The Planning Minister also directed the CDA to mark the site for encroachment on the graveyard and green belt and grounds for E-11 so that action can be taken against them.
Earlier, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on CDA Affairs Ali Nawaz Awan also met the family of Kashif Bajwa, whose wife and son died after flood waters entered the basement. He assured full cooperation to the victim’s family.
Published in Dawn, July 30, 2021