Islamabad: In a decisive move to tackle urban flooding in Karachi, President Asif Ali Zardari has mandated the creation of a comprehensive plan to manage the city’s sewage and stormwater issues effectively. During a meeting at Aiwan-e-Sadr, he emphasized the need for sustainable, long-term strategies, informed by international best practices, to protect Karachi from recurrent urban flooding.
According to Press Information Department, the meeting convened top officials including Chief Minister Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah, and various local and international experts. It centered on revolutionary approaches such as the tunnel sewer systems used in Washington DC, the London Super Sewer Project, and Singapore’s Deep Tunnel Sewerage System. Experts proposed the development of a network of sewer tunnels beneath high-flood zones in Karachi to alleviate the city’s chronic water management issues without disrupting daily life or land ownership.
The President was briefed on Karachi’s daily generation of approximately 450 million gallons of sewage, currently channeled through inadequate drainage systems into local rivers and ultimately the sea, causing significant environmental damage. The meeting underscored the urgent need for a feasibility study to explore these advanced tunnelling options, aiming to complete it within three months. President Zardari also highlighted the broader regional implications, suggesting that the project could facilitate treated water supply to Balochistan for agricultural use and boost the fisheries sector.