Peshawar: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister (CM) Mahmood Khan has directed the officials concerned to prepare a long-term strategy to resolve the drain issues of Peshawar, a news source reported. In the wake of heavy rainfalls in the province, many areas submerged in water.
The CM chaired a meeting to review the arrangements on this front. The officials concerned informed the CM that the rains had left the current system incapacitated. They also told the minister about the locations where the water and dirt had collected, along with this areas lacking clean drinking water for the residents.
The Peshawar commissioner revealed that the construction work on new storm drains at the Suri Pul area would commence in September 2019. He stated that they had already finalised the PC-1 for the project. He added that building a new drainage system was also a part of their plan in order to address the issue accumulated rainwater in different areas of the city.
The meeting also reviewed the ongoing construction of a seven-kilometre-long drain from Gulbahar to Pakha Ghulam for the areas around the Ring Road in Peshawar. Officials concerned revealed that the relevant authorities had already completed a 2km stretch of this drain.
The CM directed the commissioner to identify those points along this drain for draining water at critical locations in order to permanently resolve the reoccurring issue of standing water.
The meeting also discussed the rehabilitation of water supply pipelines in the 43 union councils of Peshawar to ensure clean drinking water. The CM ordered the commissioner to devise a plan in consultation with the Peshawar Development Authority (PDA) and the Water & Sanitation Services Peshawar (WSSP) over the time-period of next month. The plan would ensure the supply of clean drinking water, as well as beautification of the city.
The CM also took notice of pollution-generating heavy vehicles. He said that these vehicles produced much pollution, especially during the monsoon season. He directed the commoner to establish workshop standards, including construction of paved floors at their premises. He ordered to seal workshops that failed to meet the standards despite warnings.
