Karachi rain: Gulistan-e-Jauhar residents seek compensation for losses

KARACHI: The residents of Gulistan-e-Jauhar have demanded compensation for their rain-related losses as heavy downpour wreaked havoc in parts of the city on Sunday, causing several areas to inundate and damaging vehicles and property.

Rainwater made its way inside Sindh Baloch Society and tore down a K-Electric pole and a wall in the city’s Gulistan-e-Jauhar Block 12.

The wall collapsed on a rickshaw, wounding a man and his children. “The ambulance could not enter the area and the family was taken to hospital in another rickshaw,” said one of the residents of the society, Uzair. “The water entered with so much pressure in the society that it dismantled everything that came in its way.”

PTI President of Jauhar Block 12, Shakeel Ahmed, told The News that the damage was caused after a nullah overflowed in Block 14 and the water rushed towards the other area.

“The nullah falls in the Malir River at Pehelwan Goth,” said Ahmed, adding that despite several complaints, authorities did not clean the nullah before the rain spell.

The PTI official said the party’s MPA Bilal Ghafar had deployed two tractors at the large drain in front of Rabia City project in Jauhar.

In front of the famous Rado Bakery, around 40 apartments were completely flooded with rainwater.

"Water gushed inside the apartment building as if a dam had broken,” recalled one of the residents. “All bikes and cars parked inside were half-drowned.”

Restoration of power supply to the area was another matter, as the meter room of the apartment was flooded with rainwater and caused electrical sparks.

A resident lamented that a team of KE workers tried to fix the problem but as soon as they left the meters started malfunctioning again, causing a power outage.

“Almost 10 years back the apartments were flooded, but this time, it was unprecedented,” he said, adding that the families residing inside the apartment incurred losses amounting to millions of rupees, and no government official had even paid a visit there. He demanded compensation from the government for their losses.

Vehicles were also damaged during the heavy rainfall, as several cars' seats and dashboard were damaged.

A resident, Ali, said that when he opened his car’s bonnet, the engine was filled with water.

“Let’s just pray that water did not damage the engine,” he said, adding that the car’s interior was destroyed.

Another resident complained that his motorcycle was swept away by the water and was beyond repair.

An elected MQM councillor, in response to the situation caused by rain, said that the drains were not the responsibility of the cantonment board but of the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board. A KW&SB assistant executive engineer downright denied the blame, saying it was never the responsibility of the board but of the KMC and the respective society administration.

Originally published in The News